FoodFest will serve up food favorites, chef competition

July 31, 2008

By Deborah Gertz Husar

The fourth annual Locally Grown FoodFest offers another helping of favorites this Saturday in Washington Park.

Chefs, tomatoes and homemade salsa will vie for cash and prizes. Youngsters will compete to see who can eat the most watermelon and spit the seeds the farthest. And all ages can taste some locally grown produce, or take some home for later.

Events get under way at 7 a.m. with the farmers market and continue until 2 p.m. on the north side of the park.

"It's a celebration of local foods and where food comes from," said Brenda Derrick, nutrition and wellness educator with the University of Illinois Extension Adams/Brown Unit. "Everything is falling into place. It's kind of like planning for a wedding with all the last-minute details."

FoodFest gives people who don't come to the regular farmers market at Washington Park a chance see what's available and meet the vendors. For veteran market shoppers, it's a chance to build on those relationships and enjoy other food-related activities along with live music.

The crowd-pleasing Iron Chef-style chef contest returns again this year, putting chefs to the test using locally grown produce bought Saturday morning at the farmers market. "It's a fast and furious hour and a half," Derrick said.

A celebrity judging panel selects the winner. "The judges have as much fun (as the chefs)," Derrick said. "Tasting the product is a nice little perk."

A new twist for salsa contest entries this year will be a winner selected by a judging panel. Last year it was determined by peoples' choice.

More information about the Locally Grown FoodFest is available by calling the Extension office at 223-8380 or online at extension.uiuc.edu/adams.