Chef Jackson Reichel From Scarlet Pearl Wins Casino Chef Showdown

Jul 12, 2026 | Features Articles, Gaming News, In this Issue

Congratulations Chef Jackson Reichel!

Thank you to everyone who voted in this year’s Casino Chef Showdown!

After two exciting rounds of voting, readers have crowned Chef Jackson Reichel of Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort as this year’s Casino Chef Showdown Champion with his Pistachio Crusted Grouper. This also gives Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort back-to-back Casino Chef Showdown victories with Chef Alison Spicer winning the contest last year.

This year, seven casino chefs from around the region competed in the online recipe contest and all of the recipe entries were amazing. We look forward to celebrating the chefs in our September Casino Dining Guide with chef spotlights and more about their culinary endeavors.

Chef Reichel will also be highlighted in an exclusive Chef Spotlight and featured on the front cover of Southern & Midwest Gaming’s Casino Dining Guide scheduled to come out in September.

The Final Voting Results are below: 

  • Pistachio Crusted Grouper – Chef Jackson Reichel (Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort) – 40.9%
  • Mexi-Cajun Shrimp and Grits – Chef Willie Gaspard (Cypress Bayou Casino & Hotel) – 29.8%
  • Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich – Chef Steven Song (FireKeepers Casino Hotel) – 29.3%

A special thank you to all of our participating chefs, casino properties, and the thousands of readers who made this year’s competition a tremendous success.

Casino Getaway Winner! We are also excited to announce the winner of this year’s Casino Getaway is Gary B. and look forward to sharing more about his Casino Getaway experience!

2026 Casino Chef Showdown Chefs & Dishes

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