Food competition: They compete; you eat
Other food competitions that let you stuff your belly while raising funds for charity.
MISSED out on cake? Plenty more food competitions let guests fill up on samples, vote for favorite cooks - and contribute to good causes.
Cupcake Smash
Thirty-four pastry chefs (half pro, half am) serve mini cakes to a crowd of 500-plus. Ticket price includes cocktails. Benefits Philabundance.
Piazza at Schmidts, 1050 N. Hancock St., 2-5 p.m. April 26, rain or shine, $25 & $30 ($10 kids; under 6 free), 215-339-0900, philabundance.org.
Vendy Awards
NYC-born food-truck competition pits local driver-cookers against each other in a daytime version of the Night Market for 600-ish eaters. Venue, date (usually mid-June) and admission price (last year, $35-$55) are TBA. Benefits the Street Vendor Project. Vendyawards.streetvendor.org.
Philly Burger Brawl
In this 4-year-old event, now serving 3,000 annually, 50 restaurants compete via creative sliders and quartered burgers. Guests get all the meat they can eat, desserts, drinks (one adult bev per ticket) and kids' fun. Supports tech in Philly schools.
Xfinity Live, 1100 Pattison Ave., 3-6 p.m. June 8, rain or shine, $35 (under 10 free with ticketed adult), phillyburgerbrawl.com.
South Philly Pizza Olympics
Santucci's, Slice, Cacia's and others offer sample slices of signature pies to a crowd of 500 to 700, while a DJ spins and Mummers perform. Cash bar. Raffle benefits a nearby civic group or neighborhood association.
Penn's Landing Caterers, 1301 S. Columbus Blvd., 6-9 p.m. July 17, $15, 215-336-2500, southphillyreview.com.
Stephen Starr-Garry Maddox BBQ Challenge
This open-to-the-public pre-ballgame tradition, now in its 13th year, attracts a few thousand eaters, offers 'cue from 60 cooks, includes drop-ins by former Phils and benefits Compete 360.
Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way, Aug. 9 (time and ticket price TBA), rain or shine, 267-886-8233, garrysbbqchallenge.org.
High Steaks
After a year's hiatus, the haute cheesesteak challenge returns, courtesy of Square 1682, the Palomar's resident restaurant. The chef-vs.-chef event closes down Sansom between 16th and 17th streets and will likely occupy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, Oct. 11 or 12. Former price $25. Former beneficiary: Philadelphia Academies.
121 S. 17th St., 215-563-5008, square1682.com.
- Lauren McCutcheon