I was fortunate enough to be a judge at the first Climate Week Cook-Off last year at 1 Hotel, where three culinary teams competed to present the most delicious and creative meal while wasting as little food as possible. The secret ingredient in the first year of the competition was turnips — a great choice for no-waste utilization.
This year, the chefs will compete for the “Waste-Less Whisk” award, but more importantly, they’ll be a part of the education efforts of Urban Green Lab to promote sustainable practices as part of Climate Week. Attendees will be a part of the judging at the upcoming second iteration of the event on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Room With a View, an event venue in Marathon Village at 1305 Clinton St., Suite 320.
Last year’s hosts at 1 Hotel will still be involved as event partners, but the chance to move to a new venue should offer even more space for event guests to circulate around the room and sample the entries from each cook team. Attendees will vote for a people’s choice award, and a panel of judges will select the grand prize winner.
The evening is all about recognizing excellence and ecological efforts, so there will also be a short program sharing Urban Green Lab’s accomplishments this year as well as recognizing local climate champions with Sustainable Nashville Awards.
It really was a fun event last year, and this year promises to be even bigger and better. The reason I’m sharing this info so far in advance is that $65 presale ticket sales end today, July 25. An early-bird ticket level offers $99 entry until Aug. 25, and then regular $125 tickets will be available until the date of the event. A special VIP add-on is also available for an extra $50 that offers additional guest experiences during the event, including a meet-and-greet with the judges and competing chefs. So if you want to contribute your two cents before we pick a winner, feel free to get in my ear.
Secure your tickets today to help food security in Nashville!
