Churches compete Saturday for top chef awards in healthy cooking contest

WHO: Harriet B. Porter Culinary Institute, a program of the Kentucky Cancer Program, University of Louisville

WHAT: Church Cook-Off

Area churches will vie for top chef awards at a Church Cook-Off sponsored by the Harriett B. Porter Culinary Institute, a training program for church kitchen ministries to encourage healthier eating. First-place awards of $500, second-place awards of $250 and third-place awards of $100 will be given in meats/main dish, side dish and dessert categories.

Sponsored by the Kentucky Cancer Program at UofL and James Graham Brown Cancer Center, the Harriett B. Porter Culinary Institute is funded by the Harriett B. Porter Cancer Education and Research Endowment. Harriett Porter, a cancer survivor, reached out to African Americans throughout Louisville who had been diagnosed with this life-threatening disease. The endowment was established after her death in 2004 by her husband Woodford Porter and their family.

WHERE: Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, 1701 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd.

WHEN: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19

WHY: One-third of all cancers are related to diet, according to the National Cancer Institute. African Americans suffer the greatest burden for each of the most common types of cancer. For all cancers combined, the death rate is 25 percent higher for African Americans than for whites.

For more information: Janikaa Sherrod, Cancer Control Specialist, Kentucky Cancer Program, 502-852-6318, janikaa.sherrod@louisville.edu