The Ariat Texas Rattlers, Fort Worth’s professional bull riding team that hosts the annual Rattler Days — a three-day bull riding extravaganza — is perhaps one of the few professional sports teams that promotes eating its own mascot. On September 27, during Rattler Days, is Rattle Battle, a rattlesnake cooking competition in partnership with Chef Tim Love and presented by TX Whiskey.

In its third year, the unique event takes place in the Fort Worth Stockyards, where 15 of North Texas’ most notable chefs create a signature dish starring rattlesnake as the main ingredient. Guests sample dishes from each competitor and vote on their favorites. The top three fan-voted chefs advance to a final judging round where a panel of celebrity judges crowns the 2025 Rattle Battle Champion. The winner receives a three-foot-tall rattlesnake trophy.

In anticipation of the event, we spoke with seven of the competing Fort Worth chefs at this year’s Rattle Battle, finding out what kind of rattlesnake dishes they’ll be cooking up for the competition.

Chef Rodrigo Cárdenas, Don Artemio

For his third time competing in Rattle Battle, Culinary Director and Vice President for Don Artemio, Rodrigo Cárdenas, will prepare a rattlesnake taco with a nixtamalized blue corn tortilla, confit rattlesnake, aioli, and guacamole mousse.

“This year, we’re presenting something that speaks to the rattlesnake, with few ingredients and careful execution,” Cárdenas tells PaperCity. “I believe simplicity in food is a refined way of eating, and I’m excited for the energy this event always brings to the city and its culinary scene.”

Chef Preston Paine, Emilia’s and The Blue Room

Competing for the first time is Chef Preston Paine, the executive chef at The Crescent Hotel, where he leads both Emilia’s and The Blue Room. His Rattle Battle creation is a rattlesnake and white bean chili topped with pickled green tomato chow chow.

“Rattlesnake is a tricky protein — it’s very lean, so if it’s even slightly overcooked it becomes rubbery,” Paine says. “To showcase it while mitigating that risk, I’m making a chili. As cliché as it sounds, rattlesnake has a chicken-like quality, so I leaned into that comparison.”

Chef Juan Rodriguez, Magdalena’s

Last year’s winner of Best Presentation, Chef Juan Rodriguez of Magdalena’s, has competed in Rattle Battle every year since the beginning. This year, he’s making a rattlesnake birria, which he says he will figure out how to present right before the event.

“More chefs and new talent get added to the Rattle Battle roster every year, which makes it fun to compete,” Rodriguez says. “It’s always exciting to step out of the norm and do a fun event, especially one that involves rattlesnake as the main attraction.”

Ernest Morales and Chris Magallanes, Panther City Barbecue

The owners of Panther City Barbecue, Ernest Morales and Chris Magallanes, are crafting a rattlesnake version of chiles en nogada, which is widely considered the national dish of Mexico.

Created in Puebla, Mexico, the dish of poblano chiles stuffed with picadillo (in this case, rattlesnake) is topped with a walnut cream sauce called nogada, plus pomegranate seeds and parsley to represent all colors of the Mexican flag. It’s usually served around Mexican Independence Day on September 16, making Rattle Battle a perfect time for this unique spin on the dish.

Ryan Cychol, Dickies Arena

Dickies Arena chef David Wetli won the inaugural Rattle Battle competition in 2023, and this year, Ryan Cychol, Dickies Arena’s senior sous chef, who has assisted in previous Rattle Battle competitions, fights for the prize. His serpentinous creation? A rattlesnake sweet Italian sausage with Calabrian chili jam, pickled Texas giardiniera, and micro-basil.

Antonio Votta, Bricks and Horses

Last year, Antonio Votta, the executive chef at Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection’s Bricks and Horses, created crispy rattlesnake fritters with a spicy peri peri sauce for Rattle Battle.

“We didn’t make it to the top three, but it was a fantastic experience,” Votta says. This year, he is making a rattlesnake Frito pie. “I’m excited for the fun of it all. It’s a great way to support our local Texas Rattlers.”

Competition starts at high noon on September 27. Tickets can be found here.