Heat up the cause: Top Chefs face off in 6th annual 'Cooking for the Kids' showdown

Get ready for a culinary showdown with a cause! The Triangle's premier chefs are gearing up for the 6th Annual Cooking for the Kids competition, kicking off on Monday at 1705 East in Raleigh.

This event is more than just a delicious showcase of talent; it's a fierce battle for bragging rights, a $10,000 grand prize, and the chance to support local charities fighting child hunger.

Cooking for Kids founders Greg Cox and Dean Ogan, who owns Rocky Top catering, came up with the idea to create a cooking contest years ago.

"I used to own a marketing company, and I liked building old cars," Cox said. "We're trying to figure out a way to give back, and Dean's like, hey, man, why don't we do a cooking contest?"

Cox says they started the competition about seven years ago, awarding classic cars as prizes. The event, which saw a one-year interruption due to COVID-19, is back again this year. for its current year.

"We had a cooking contest with 16 chefs," Cox said. "It was 15 nights long and the winning chef would finally get a classic car. I think the first year we gave away a 69 Corvette, the second year we gave away a 51 five-window pickup."

A few years ago, the format of the competition changed to 'Cooking for the Kids' to focus on giving back and directing all proceeds to fight food insecurity at Overflowing Hands and A Place At The Table. (according to the event website.)

"It really ramped up during COVID because there were so many kids when school was out," Cox said. "There was no place for these kids to get food. So we started going to our nonprofit, which is over Falling Hands, started to go into all these communities, and we were supposed to do it for three months, and Wake County schools endorsed it, and we ended up doing it for like two years or 18 months."

The event consists of eight chefs from well-known restaurants in the Triangle area, forming pairs to compete against each other.

Round 1 takes place Monday, Feb. 26, through Thursday, Feb. 23, and Round 2 runs March 6-7. The finale is March 14.

The selected chefs showcase their culinary skills by preparing an appetizer and an entree each, followed by a dessert, which they present to the audience and the judging panel.

"Everybody that comes to these events gets two appetizers, two entrees and two desserts," Cox said. "So you don't leave hungry; the crowd votes on what they like."

Additionally, the event will feature celebrity judges who are influential figures in the food industry, including notable individuals such as the owner of Angus Barn, a renowned restaurant.

"They'll figure out who wins, and they move on to the following week, you know, in the process of elimination, we will end up with a winner who's gonna win $10,000 cash," Cox said.

Kyle Teears, the champion of the 2023 competition, says he loves the event, highlighting the intense pressure that comes with it.

"It's a lot of pressure, but at the same time, it's a fun event," Teears said. "They give us the ingredients at the beginning and then take our phones. We then have to come up with our dish ideas and cook them quickly."

Teears said each chef and team that comes to these competitions always give it their all and cooks their hearts out.

"I love the cooking part but I love how we are doing it for a cause," Teears said. "It's all about the kids and supporting them."

During the Cooking For The Kids competition, the chefs face a surprise element: a 'curve ball ingredient' that they must incorporate into their dishes.

"It could be anything from Cheerwine to Nerds; you just never know," Teears said.

The culinary clash heats up at 1705 East in Raleigh:

Monday, Feb 26:

• Alejandro Uribe (University Club) vs. Jaime Adams (The Ugly Mug Bean and Brew)

Tuesday, Feb 27:

• Blake Gotliffe (Under the Oak) vs. Bobby McFarland (Wye Hill)

Wednesday, Feb 28:

• Preeti Waas (Cheeni) vs. Harry Monds (Lula and Sadie's)

Thursday, Feb 29:

• David Mitchell (Plates Kitchen) vs. Kevin Ruiz (Oro)

Round 2: March 6 & 7

Finale: March 14

Guests and culinary judges will vote on each course to decide which chef that evening advances to the next round.

All event proceeds benefit Overflowing Hands and A Place At the Table, as both organizations are passionate about fighting food insecurity in our local community. Visit the Overflowing Hands website for more information and to donate.