NC State Chef Brings Home the Bronze in NACUFS Southern Culinary Challenge

March 27, 2026

Sean Mangroo, a chef at NC State University’s University Towers Dining Hall, earned a bronze medal at the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) 2026 Southern Culinary Challenge. Held recently at Georgia State University in Atlanta, the live cooking competition showcased the premier culinary talent from collegiate dining operations across the Southern United States.

Mangroo’s entry, titled “Southern Comfort on a Plate,” was a dual-concept dish featuring fried catfish over cheese grits alongside jerk-seasoned catfish served over traditional Johnny cakes. The dish served as a culinary autobiography, blending Mangroo’s childhood roots in Montgomery, Alabama, with his Guyanese maternal ancestry.

The NACUFS Culinary Challenge is a rigorous skill test sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation. Chefs are judged on a 100-point scale evaluating organization, cooking technique, waste management and taste.

“The atmosphere was intense,” Mangroo said, noting that the panel of judges consisted of master chefs from across the country. “Meticulous planning goes into winning a competition like that. Every aspect of my cooking was being judged. It felt good to see my skillset acknowledged, with master chefs telling me I did a good job.”

Mangroo credits his daily environment at the University Towers Dining Hall for providing the foundation he needs to compete at a regional level. He noted that the high-volume, high-standard nature of NC State Dining taught him how to communicate effectively, gather vital information and work seamlessly under pressure.

NC State Dining was well represented in Atlanta, as Campus Executive Chef Chad Cliffe also attended the challenge to coach and support Mangroo. 

“In competition environments, you learn a lot about who you are as a chef in a short amount of time,” Cliffe said. “You learn what you need to work on, which you can then take into your workplace and hone for your employees as well.”

Since its inception in 2001, the NACUFS Culinary Challenge has highlighted the craft of campus chefs, challenging them to create nutritionally balanced meals featuring a mandatory protein. Mangroo was one of only a handful of chefs in the Southern region to receive a medal for his performance.