Food for the Soul

Enjoy delicious meats, vegetables, desserts, breads and more made by the finest soul food chefs around at the 10th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Soul Food Cook-Off.

Feast on soul food at the 10th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Soul Food Cook-Off in Muskogee.

If you consider yourself a top notch soul food cook, you still have time to enter the Cook-Off.
The 10th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Soul Food Cook-Off will take place at the Muskogee Civic Center, January 16, 2016. Chefs will prepare their delicious soul food cuisine for thousands of attendees to enjoy.
“The Dr. Martin Luther King Soul Food Cook-Off is the perfect venue to celebrate the rich African American heritage of soul food,” says Cassandra Gaines, event creator and City of Muskogee Diversity and Community Liaison. “Soul food is simply comfort food made from scratch – sweet potato pie, smothered chicken and rice, smothered pork chops, homemade macaroni and cheese, greens, hot water corn bread, candied yams, peach cobbler. We bring together a diverse community of people who enjoy the tradition of enjoying good food together and having fun.”
One of Cassandra’s responsibilities as marketing director of the Civic Center is to host multicultural community events. In 2004, she had the idea for a soul food cook-off to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The idea quickly caught on and is now spreading across the country. In each city, the event has featured some of the finest local chefs, until now unheralded, serving soul food to a sell-out crowd.  
Chefs from around the state and country are invited to participate in the cook-off. Categories include meats, vegetables, desserts, homemade breads, and miscellaneous homemade items, such as pickles, pickled okra, jellies, jams, hot sauce and barbecue sauce. Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place winners in each category. A cash prize for best booth decoration and costume will also be awarded.
“Anybody who thinks they can cook is welcome. We have cooks of all ages and from all walks of life,” Cassandra explains. “We have many first-timers and many who return year after year.”
The judging panel for the cook-off consists of professionals who either own or manage a restaurant. “The judges are different every year, and the cooks do not know who the judges are. It’s a fair game for everyone,” Cassandra says. “There is also a people’s choice award so those who attend can vote for their favorite dish.”
If you’re not the best cook but love some good soul food, admission to the event is $8, and includes all the delicious food you can handle. “This family-friendly event is guaranteed to produce fond memories and plenty of full stomachs,” says Cassandra.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Soul Food Cook-Off will be held Saturday, January 16 at the Muskogee Civic Center, located at 425 Boston Street. The afternoon features great food, fun, cash prizes and an educational component regarding the history of soul food and cooking tips from some of the country’s top chefs.