Award Winning Chicago Chefs Compete to Beat Hunger in Healthy Chef Challenge

We have made the difficult decision to postpone the event following the recommendation of Governor Pritzker to reduce large gatherings to avoid the risk of COVID-19 infection.  We are working together with The Chopping Block on a new date.

We hope to know that date in the coming weeks as the immediate coronavirus crisis dissipates. We will update you as soon as we confirm.

For the third year in a row, Beyond Hunger is hosting the Healthy Chef Challenge, a cooking competition featuring award winning Chicago area chefs and celebrity judges, to support hunger relief efforts in Chicago’s near West Side communities. Each participant gets 30 minutes and a set of ingredients typically found in Beyond Hunger’s food pantry–think canned yams and peanut butter. The chef who cooks the healthiest, most delicious dish in those 30 minutes will be this year’s Healthy Chef Champion! All attendees enjoy watching the intense competition as it heats up and get hands-on cooking lessons from The Chopping Block team.

Monica Eng, Curious City reporter from WBEZ will emcee the third annual Healthy Chef Challenge, joined by esteemed judges Rex Huppke Chicago Tribune columnist, Pat Cobe Senior Editor at Restaurant Business, Emily Hallock Season 9 Top 10 Finisher of MasterChef ,and Liz Abunaw⁠ Owner and Operator of Forty Acres Fresh Market. 

Round one of the challenge features some of Chicago’s top chefs and food entrepreneurs: Chef Beverly Kim⁠—James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Parachute (Michelin-starred) and Wherewithall, Chef Dana Cree⁠—Co-owner Pretty Cool Ice Cream and author of Hello, My Name is Ice Cream, and Chef Lisa Counts⁠—Executive Chef at The Chopping Block. Round two includes local West Side favorites: Chef Zita Smith-Stephens⁠—Owner Zita Cooks, Chef Cristiane Pereira⁠—Owner Mulata Kitchen and Coffee, and Chef Nick Stewart⁠—Head Chef of One Lake Brewing.

In addition to their time and effort on April 4th to benefit nutrition programming on Chicago’s near West Side, the chefs compete in a friendly fundraiser leading up to the event. The chef with the most funds raised before April 2nd wins the added benefit of being able to choose an ingredient to bring with them on challenge day. Donations to support a favorite chef are already cooking up. Donate today: https://www.classy.org/campaign/chef-fundraising-challenge-2020/c271777/search?type=individual

Join us on Saturday, April 4th, 7pm at The Chopping Block, Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 107, Chicago IL. 60654

For tickets and details visit: https://www.gobeyondhunger.org/events/HCC2020

This one of a kind event features award winning chefs, challenging them to use every day low cost ingredients to make the best tasting healthiest dish and win. You don't want to mince out.