Twelve teams, two cooking challenges, and the taste buds of local fourth graders. Who will win in the end? Get ready for some culinary chaos and lots of fun for the whole family at the first-ever Cooking with Thor & Local Chefs competition March 8.
The community is invited to this free event from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the LaPorte High School Cafeteria. Thor Thordarson, president and CEO of IU Health LaPorte Hospital, and other local business leaders will pair up with chefs from some of the LaPorte area’s popular eateries. The goal is to create meals and snacks that are healthy — AND child-approved. Is that possible?
Fourth graders in the hospital’s Li’l FISH Club program will decide on taste, and nutrition and other values will be judged by LaPorte Mayor Blair Milo, LaPorte Community School Corp. Superintendent Mark Francesconi, IU Health Registered Dietitian Traci Norvell-Allen, and IU Health Medical Director of Population Health Stacey Leva, MD. Also at the event, Wellness Outreach of IU Health LaPorte Hospital will host fun and healthy activities for families. Giveaways and snacks will be available.
All food and supplies will be provided by Al’s Supermarkets. Local mentor chefs will be Don Dotson, Brentwood Tavern; Terri Faulkenburg, IU Health LaPorte Hospital Cafe; Brad Hindsley, Rachel Murphy and Sarah Sass, Spire Farm to Fork Cuisine; Cheryl Plummer, Ivy Tech; and Frank Torres, Mucho Mas. Event sponsors and cooking teams are: Rick and Elizabeth Dekker and family, Lil’ FISH Club teachers; Firstsource Advantage; IU Health LaPorte Hospital Cafe; Ivy Tech Community College MC Culinary Program; LaPorte High School Slicer Kitchen; LaPorte Radiology; LaPorte Savings Bank; Lakeshore Food Corporations (Al’s Grocery); Maslow’s Coffee Shop; Newby, Lewis, Kaminski & Jones; TCB Manufacturing; Wells Fargo Bank; American Limb & Orthopedic Company; Vision Self Pay Revenue Recovery.
Registration is required by visiting www.youngerlife.org. A limit of 700 attendees can be accommodated. For more information and for free tickets, visit that same website or call the LaPorte Hospital Foundation at 219-326-2471.