UCM's Top Chef fundraiser will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, March 14, at First Christian Church, 24 W. State St. Proceeds will benefit UCM's Thursday Supper and Saturday Lunch weekly free meal programs.

To participate, entrants are asked to bring a covered dish large enough for 10 to 15 servings. The judges -- Ohio University LGBT Center Director Mickey Hart, Ohio University Director of Retail Operations Matt Rapposelli and local cable TV and radio personality "Big" Jim Balcom, will rank each dish on a 1 to 10 scale with the highest three scores advancing to the finals. The audience then will select the winner from the three finalists.

The creator of the dish with the most votes will receive a gift and the honorary title of "Top Chef of Athens."

Ohio University students can serve as audience taste testers for a $5 donation, while non-students can do the same for a minimum donation of $10.

"This is the first time we are hosting this event, and I thought it would be a good idea to give people a chance to show off their cooking skills in public," said UCM Thursday Supper President Joe Buzzelli, who is coordinating the event. "This will be fun event, and the money collected will go to a worthy cause."

Aspiring contestants should register for the competition by contacting Buzzelli at 740-593-7301 or jb251704@ohio.edu.