Culinary battle at Dish It Up

Purple cupcakes are on the menu at Dish It Up.
Credit: Coleman Yunger Photography

Women Against Abuse is hosting its fifth delicious Dish It Up event to raise funds and awareness about domestic violence. The organization has rounded up 13 of the area’s most talented female chefs, including three fierce pastry chefs, to pit them against each other in two culinary battles: one savory and one sweet. Expect an eclectic range of food to sample, with each competitor bringing her own cooking background while also representing the restaurant she works for.

Each chef will need to make between 350 and 400 samples for judges and attendees, so the heat is on. Only one of these women will take home the top Purple Dish Award, though two other winners will be crowned as well.

The Purple Dish Award: It wouldn’t be a food competition without an expert panel of judges ready to dissect every bite. For this round, the rules are simple: Incorporate something purple — the designated color of domestic violence awareness — into the food. “There have been times when they put purple things in the dish that I had never even heard of,” jokes Katie Young-Wildes, the director of fund development and communications at Women Against Abuse.

The Purple Cupcake Award: This award is a chance for the people to be heard. Three pastry chefs will create mini purple cupcakes, with the winner decided by sugar-loving attendees.

The Purple Style Award: Naturally an event like this can’t have a red carpet. It needs — you guessed it — a purple carpet. NBC10’s Bill Henley and stylist and fashion correspondent Jen Abrams will be covering the purple carpet and snapping photos with the night’s best-dressed attendees. If you want to earn yourself the style award, may we suggest donning something in the aubergine or lilac families?

If you go
Dish It Up
March 19, 5:30
WHYY Studios
Independence Mall West, 150 N. Sixth St.
$100,
www.womenagainstabuse.org