CHEF DEAN SAMPLE OF BONGE’S TAVERN WINS SUPERIOR CHEF AWARD AND PEOPLE’S CHOICE AT 2026 TASTE OF ELEGANCE

Perkinsville, Ind. (February 12, 2026) – Bonge’ s Tavern is proud to announce that Executive Chef Dean Sample has earned top honors at the Indiana Pork Farmers’ 2026 Taste of Elegance competition, held January 27. Chef Sample was awarded both the Superior Chef Award and the People’ s Choice Award for Best Entrée, further cementing his reputation as one of Indiana’ s most accomplished chefs.

In addition to these prestigious accolades, Chef Sample received a coveted Golden Ticket to compete at the World Food Championships, which will take place in Indianapolis this October. He plans to compete in the bacon category, a fitting choice for a chef who considers pork his favorite ingredient to cook.

Chef Sample has participated in Taste of Elegance for 12 years, collecting numerous awards and recognition from Indiana Pork throughout his tenure. He previously won the overall Taste of Elegance t i t le in 2016 and 2022, and his continued success highlights both his technical skill and his passion for showcasing Indiana- raised pork.

For more information about Bonge’ s Tavern or to follow Chef Dean Sample’ s journey to the World Food Championships, please visit bongestavern. com or follow along on social media.