News Release
July 15, 2009
Contra Costa mayors compete in healthy cooking challenge
The City of Concord is hosting the first annual Mayor's Healthy Meal Cook-off on Thursday, July 23 during the Music and Market event in Todos Santos Plaza.
Concord Mayor Laura Hoffmeister and Martinez Mayor Rob Schroder have challenged mayors from all over Contra Costa County to help promote healthy eating, local restaurants and local farmers' markets by participating in the event.
"We're calling it Mmmayors' Mmmusic & Mmmarket," said Mayor Hoffmeister. "Our goal is to show how healthy meals can also be delicious and our hope is that each year one of Contra Costa's mayors will host this event."
The cook-off is the vision of Cindy Gershen, chef and owner of Sunrise Bistro in Walnut Creek. Through her restaurant, Gershen launched a Wellness Challenge earlier this year. She challenged diners to replace prepared foods and sugar in their diets with healthy choices such as fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. She is now taking her challenge county-wide.
Each mayor will supply his or her protein choice (poultry, beef, fish, tofu) and use produce supplied by Concord's farmers' market to create a dish on the spot that meets the 'healthy eating' criteria - low salt, low sugar, high fiber and high protein.
Mayors are permitted to bring a chef from one of their local restaurants if they feel they need a hand. Sous chefs will be provided by Mt. Diablo High School's Serendipity hospitality training program.
The mayors will have one hour, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., to prepare their culinary masterpieces, which will be judged in five categories: presentation, creativity, salad or appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
A panel of judges will sample the entries from 6:30 to 7 p.m., and winners will be announced at 7:15 when a perpetual trophy is presented to the winner.
Recipes for the dishes prepared by the mayors will be available at the event.
In addition to mayors Hoffmeister and Schroeder, participants include Clayton Mayor Julie Pierce, San Ramon Mayor Abraham Wilson (with chef Marie Graham of Thyme To Eat), Antioch Mayor James D. Davis, Hercules Mayor Joe Eddy McDonald, Walnut Creek Mayor Gary Skrell (with chef Frank Palmer of Bing Crosby's, Maria Maria and McCovey's), Pleasant Hill's Mayor Dr. Michael G. Harris and Lafayette Mayor Don Tatzin.
Judges include: Roberta Gonzales, CBS 5 meteorologist, John Silviera, President Pacific Coast Farmers Market, Alison Negrin, Executive Chef John Muir Hospital, and Dr. Bill Lide, Kaiser Permanente. The emcee will be Frocene Philips from the Contra Costa Times.
The Music and Market series continues on Thursday nights through Sept. 17. The Farmers' Market is in the Plaza from 4 to 8 p.m. with music at 6:30 p.m. Additional movie nights are scheduled for every Thursday in August.
Todos Santos Plaza is located in downtown Concord on Willow Pass Road between Mt. Diablo and Grant streets. Free parking is available in the Todos Santos Parking Center on Salvio between Mt. Diablo Street and Concord Avenue and in the Salvio Street Garage on Salvio between Grant and Colfax streets.
For more information, visit www.concordfirst.org or call the hotline at (925) 671-3464.