Professional and Amateur Chefs Cook for Charity

Chefs from across the valley will be tightening their apron strings and packing their lucky ladles for the 3rd annual chili cook-off at  in South Whitehall Sunday March 6.

The cook-off, which raises money for Habitat for Humanity, brings together members from The Barn, a non-denominational church that meets at the  in Salisbury, Keneseth Israel in Allentown, Muhlenberg College, , and La Trinidad Church. Each is sending their best chili cooks to compete.

The church will also be serving hot dogs, cornbread and soda to visitors, not that anyone should need additional food, says Dick McCreight, a member of Asbury United Methodist who's been involved with the event all three years. "The tasting cups are only two ounces, but with 30 competitors, that's quite a lot of chili."

This year, the church invited professional chefs as well as 27 amateur chili-cookers to participate in the program. One of the professional chefs, Eric Rappaport, (his column “” runs in several Patches), was excited and flattered to participate in the program. “I never shy away from an opportunity to cook for the public,” said Rappaport, whose “Wanton White Chili” will try and wow the audience Sunday. “I get to display my passion for the craft, and what I love to do.”

But this event isn’t just about judging chili. The chefs will “sell” their chili to the audience so they can judge who goes home with the chili crown. 100 percent of the proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity, which is, according to McCreight the real reason for the cook-off. "The entire competition is free will (pay what you'd like), and a penny is a vote. So if you put a dollar in a jar (in front of competitor's booths), it's 100 votes. We find that free will events bring in more than pay events."

To Rappaport, raising money for the Habitat for Humanity is what it's all about.  “Bringing the community together to help deserving families is what it’s all about. I couldn’t care less about the competition.”

The Chili cook-off runs from 4pm till 7pm Sunday at Asbury United Methodist in South Whitehall. The event is open to the public.