The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) announced their plans to host their fifth annual Food Bank Hunger Games event to be held on Thursday, April 27 from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at their Pennsauken-based headquarters (1501 John Tipton Blvd.) for an evening of fun, food, and charitable competition to benefit FBSJ’s Summer Meals program, which brings breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks to needy children during the summer months.

The event, hosted by FOX29 news anchor and reporter, Bill Anderson, will showcase the competitive cooking skills of 10 corporate teams comprised of four competitors sponsored by South Jersey organizations including GrayHair Software, Subaru, Kennedy Health, Capehart & Scatchard, Holman Auto Group, Association Headquarters Inc., M&T Bank, The Soulfull Project and this year’s event sponsor, Canada Dry and Snapple.

“Our team is thrilled to sponsor and participate in this year’s Hunger Games,” stated Canada Dry Delaware Valley Executive Vice President, John Taglienti. “Community service is imperative to our company’s mission, and this event gives our team the chance to support that initiative while engaging in a fun, team-building competition that impacts so many individuals in need.”

The creative competition blends elements from the popular Food Network TV Show, Chopped, and the Hunger Games book and film franchise by challenging teams to create a healthy meal in under 45 minutes utilizing a box of food items that FBSJ typically distributes through its pantry network.

“We challenge competitors to use ingredients that are similar to what one might find in a food pantry to showcase what every day people are struggling with when trying to put a wholesome meal on the table,” states FBSJ President and CEO, Val Traore. “They quickly find that it’s tough to put together a healthy meal with limited resources, so this enables them to get creative and engage with the audience to sponsor the purchase of additional ingredients that will really make their dish sing. It’s wonderful to see how engaged and innovative they become knowing that this event gives our corporate sponsors the opportunity to give back and have fun with their teams while doing so.”

Teams are judged by a panel of four culinary experts and media personalities including Tammy Paolino, journalist and food blogger for the Courier Post, Chef Barbie Marshall, a Season 10 finalist on Hell’s Kitchen and sustainable cooking pioneer, Chef George Kyrtatas, recognized as one of the top four Greek chefs in the world and top five chefs in New Jersey in 2011, and Chef Aaron McCargo Jr., the 2008 winner of The Next Food Network Star. The judges make their selections based on taste, presentation, and use of four of the five MyPlate meal components. Culinary advisors from various local businesses including Wegman’s, Season 52, Shoprite Medford, Harvest Seasonal Grill, Silver Diner, and Urban Promise will mentor each team as they cook, prepare, and present their dishes to the judging panel.

New to this year’s event is a wine tasting featuring local wineries curated by Visit South Jersey and a food tasting presented by Take It Home, a Haddonfield-based fresh meal delivery service featuring local, healthy, and sustainably sourced food items. A dessert tasting and secondary competition will give a sweet finish to the evening through the Best of the Bite Sized event which will showcase delicious treats made by local bakeries and restaurants including Sift Bake Shop, Sugar Pudding, Seasons 52, Woops, and The Cake Box by Neelma. Local radio station and event media sponsor BEN-FM will also provide music and fun for guests to enjoy while they watch the competition unfold and sample the delectable selections on hand.

Those interested in attending the Food Bank Hunger Games can purchase tickets and find more information at www.foodbanksj.org/hungergames.