Osage Ramen Fusion Dish Wins Mathis New Top Chef NWA Award

TOP CHEF NWA — Roni Mathis of the Arkansas Food Innovation Centers at the Market Center of the Ozarks won the Top Chef NWA competition on Oct. 25. The event is a fundraiser for the Rogers Public Library Foundation. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A recipe that paid homage to the Osage Nation won Chef Roni Mathis the title of 2024 Top Chef NWA.

Mathis, a chef with the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks (AFIC@MCO), bested three other competitors in the event sponsored by the Rogers Public Library Foundation in Lowell with her Osage Ramen, which combines flavors that she said “tells the story of the local landscape and honors the traditions of the Osage people.”

“It’s an honor to create a dish that not only celebrates the unique flavors of our local ingredients but also honors the legacy of the Osage people,” said Mathis, the center’s commissary and research and development manager. “At AFIC@MCO, we’re passionate about showcasing the richness of our region in every dish, while supporting the next generation of food entrepreneurs.”

Mathis’s Osage Ramen used locally foraged ingredients and a fusion of traditional and modern techniques. The ingredients included sassafras, pine, lotus, Asian carp narutomaki, sumac-pickled daikon radish, hickory-smoked mushroom and bacon.

“We are incredibly proud of Chef Mathis for this well-deserved recognition,” Darryl Holliday, executive director of AFIC@MCO, said. “Her culinary expertise and commitment to our mission — fostering the innovation and prosperity of northwest Arkansas’ small food businesses — are invaluable assets to AFIC@MCO.”

Holliday went on to say the Top Chef NWA award reflects the center’s commitment to regional excellence, the community’s potential to lead the future of food, and is “a testament to Chef Mathis’s dedication to highlighting local food culture and providing a platform for regional food entrepreneurs to thrive.”

Chef Casey Coverdell, the Walmart AMP executive artist catering chef, won the Crowd Favorite Award with his main dish of Pastrami Short Rib and pumpkin risotto. The event, a fundraiser for the Rogers Public Library, was held at Metro Appliances and More in Lowell on Oct. 25.

The Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks is a unit of the of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The original Arkansas Food Innovation Center is based at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville.

AFIC@MCO — Darryl Holliday is the director of the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks, a unit of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

About AFIC@MCO

The Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks (AFIC@MCO) is a premier food facility under the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s food science department, dedicated to fostering innovation and growth for northwest Arkansas’ small food businesses. Supported by the Walton Family Foundation, AFIC@MCO offers affordable commercial kitchen space, advanced processing facilities, and contract food services designed to empower food trucks, caterers, and entrepreneurs across the region.

Scheduled to open in December 2024, the 45,000-square-foot facility in downtown Springdale provides essential resources for food entrepreneurs to thrive, including business development guidance, food safety training, and flexible production options. These services reduce financial barriers by offering low-volume production without high upfront costs, giving entrepreneurs the freedom to test products and scale their operations. AFIC@MCO’s supportive framework cultivates a unique environment where small food businesses can innovate and succeed.

More than just a facility, AFIC@MCO serves as a catalyst for economic growth, culinary innovation, and community connection. By connecting farmers, food entrepreneurs, and communities, AFIC@MCO promotes regional food culture, inspire community engagement, and drive lasting change through fresh, local foods and a vibrant food scene in northwest Arkansas.

The mission of AFIC@MCO is deeply rooted in creating opportunities for food entrepreneurs who might not have the resources to start a business independently, providing them with the tools and support to succeed. 

​To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on 𝕏 at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on 𝕏 at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.