Real Food Cook Off

Description: A cook-off is a great way to celebrate the fall harvest, educate your campus about the deliciousness of local foods, and build community, all at the same time. Recruit local farmers to donate some of their product to the event in exchange for a fun time (you might have to purchase it, depending on quantity). Recruit some local chefs to compete and/or judge. Put together a basket of goods that the chefs will be able to cook with (this may require some consultation), and then decide on a mystery ingredient (or two) that all the competitors will have to feature in their dishes. Organize a panel of judges and, presto, you’ve got a cook-off.

Key Points:

  • A great way to involve more students is to sign people up ahead of time. Ask these students to show up to the cook-off with an already prepared dish. These can be laid out at the start of the event for the general public to vote on. The winners can participate in the cook-off!
  • Make a night of it! Recruit a local/student band to play at the event. Before the formal cook-off begins or while the judges deliberate have a band play a set or two.
  • American Idol anyone? Consider recruiting a wise-cracking commentator to voice over the cook-off, or smart-ass judges who’ll insult the participants in their evaluations (all in good fun).
  • Cook-offs often require a lot of logistical work. Finding a space with cooking capabilities that can also accommodate spectators can be difficult (or expensive) at some schools. Start early to make sure all the technical aspects go smoothly.
  • Put together some informational handout on the participating farmers/farms, and the products being used.
  • Don’t be afraid to make it political. Encourage your attendees to sign a petition, show up for meeting, or fill out a comment card, to build the movement for Real Food on your campus.

Example: At Kalamazoo College, a student organized a week of action focused on bringing local foods to her college campus. Farm to Kalamazoo’s most popular event was the local foods cook-off. The competition drew nearly 500 to watch local chefs prepare a meal of 80% local meat, produce, and dairy. The event brought together farmers, students, faculty, and chefs to raise awareness about the importance of Kalamazoo supporting its local farmers. The event surprised the chefs with the ingredients, who didn’t know what the farmers would bring for their freshest most in-season crops. The cook-off yielded five different dishes from five different chefs and a taste test by a panel of judges (comprised of students, faculty, and farmers) decided the winner.