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JAMESTOWN, NY (WNY News Now) — Starting Saturday, Jamestown’s soup kitchen is hosting a series of televised cooking competition fundraisers.
This is the second year the St. Susan Center is hosting ‘So, You Think You Can Cook?’ but the first time they have partnered with a television streaming service to expand their reach.
“We are hosting the second annual ‘So, You Think You Can Cook?’ and we’re so excited. We’re gonna have three nights of cook competition, and we’re excited for people to come down and see it. As well as, in a couple weeks, you can watch it on television on 716,” says Cherie Rowland, Executive Director of St. Susan’s Center.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday Feb. 25, March 4, and March 11 to a public audience, with production rolling at 6 p.m. The competition will be produced into an hour-long streaming show on Roku TV’s Channel 716.
Three chefs will compete each night, creating an appetizer and an entrée in front of the show’s judges and attendees. At the end of each round, a winner will be crowned.
Mystery ingredients will also be incorporated.
“We’ve got several local businesses we’re trying to work with as mystery ingredients,” says Rowland.
Anyone is invited to join the studio audience. For a $15 donation at the door, you can support the center, get a behind the scenes look at production, as well as be served soup, dessert and a beverage.
The chefs each night will be bringing their own soups for the studio audience to try as well as one from St. Susan’s itself. The studio audience will be able to vote on these soups at the end of the night, experiencing first hand what the center does for those in need everyday.
“It brings recognition to St. Susan’s Center that St. Susan’s Center feeds the hungry, provides healthy community, and does all of this while treating our people that come through our doors with dignity and respect,” explains Rowland.
Rowland hopes the event will showcase how food can translate into giving and service.
“So appreciative of these chefs and home cooks that are coming here to St. Susan’s to exhibit their talent and show how you can prepare a meal and how you can take these mystery ingredients,” says Rowland. “And to be fair, sometimes we get mystery ingredients and we have to prepare them in a healthy and appealing way for our guests to enjoy.”
Businesses can also get involved by purchasing advertisements or a mention sponsorship that will be included in the streaming show. Those interested can visit stsusancenter.org/cook/ to learn more.
WNY News Now and Channel 716 are proud to partner with the St. Susan Center for this fundraiser.
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