Georgia State University Executive Chef Maricus Nolley has earned first place in the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) 2026 Southern Culinary Challenge.

The live cooking competition, held March 13 at Georgia State, was part of NACUFS Engage: Southern, an educational and networking conference for professionals working in campus dining.

Nolley will move on to compete at the NACUFS 2026 National Conference July 15 in New Orleans, where he will face off against other regional winners from across the country.

Launched in 2001, the NACUFS Culinary Challenge showcases the culinary talent of campus dining chefs from colleges and universities across the country. Competitors create an original, nutritionally balanced dish featuring a designated protein and are evaluated on organization, technique and taste using a 100-point scale.

In addition to earning first place in the Southern region, Nolley earned a silver medal from the American Culinary Federation, which judged the competition, for his Southern fried catfish with jambalaya and cheddar gouda grits.

Nolley said he was surprised to hear his name announced among the strong field of competitors.

“It means a lot,” he said. “Just to be able to say we moved on, to able to say we competed in Louisiana, it’s a big moment for us.”

Drawing inspiration from the location of the national competition, Nolley leaned into traditional Cajun flavors when developing his dish. He also sought feedback from others along the way, sharing the recipe and refining it to ensure the final result delivered the best possible flavors.

“I’m glad the judges had a good experience,” Nolley said. “I’m glad they enjoyed my food, and I’m looking forward to competing in the next round.”

Nolley earned a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Tucker, Ga., in 2005, and began his career working in hotels, country clubs and restaurants across the Atlanta area. He later held culinary leadership roles at Emory University, Georgia State University and Clayton State University before joining the PantherDining team in summer 2021.