Everyone who has cooked any sort of ethnic dishes–French, Italian, Thai, Chinese, Basque, Filipino, Malaysian, Briti…well, probably not British–knows that garlic is an essential ingredient, a taste that blends in with and accentuates so many other flavors, even while maintaining its own flavor integrity.

On June 27, from noon to 4 p.m., eight local chefs will challenge themselves and each other to devise the best sweet and savory dishes at the inaugural Garlic Harvest Cook Off, to be held at the Resurfaced space located downtown behind the facades of 615-621 West Main St. Admission to the event will be free; tastes of the dishes concocted will be sold for $2 each, with the proceeds going to Slow Food Bluegrass’s Garden Grant program.

Eight local farmers will pair with eight local chefs to create the most delightful and audacious garlic dishes they can devise. Cash prizes of $500 will go to the the winners of the two categories, Best Sweet and Best Savory, the winners to be chosen by vote of those attending and tasting. 

Participating Farm’s include Barr Farms, Holden Family Farm, Groce Family Farm, Rootbound Farm, Roots Underwood, Louisville Grows and Lost Acres

Participating Restaurants Include Eiderdown, Funked & Fermented Kimchi Lab, Holy Grale, Farm to Fork Catering, Wiltshire On Market and Harvest.