Local Restaurant Gets Ready For Grilled Cheese Cook-Off

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- There's nothing better than a good grilled cheese.  You'll have a chance to sample some of the best on Sunday in Baltimore.

Ron Matz reports celebrity chefs will join many other folks for a cooking contest that will benefit a Baltimore charity.

The grilled cheese is an American icon.  At the Mt. Washington Tavern Sunday, it's the Grilled Cheese Cook-Off. Celebrity chefs and others will be competing.

"We have celebrity chefs coming, including Baltimore's best new chef as voted by Baltimore Magazine.  He's from City Cafe," said Shannon Maddox, Mt. Washington Tavern. "We have a home cook-off, too.  You could enter on our website. They could submit their special grilled cheeses.  We picked the top three and they'll also be battling it out for cash prizes."

It's a benefit for Moveable Feast, which delivers meals to those seriously ill at home.

"We are a home delivery nutritious meal program for people with critical and serious illnesses.  We serve Baltimore City, the five surrounding counties and the entire Eastern Shore of Maryland. Last year, Moveable Feast provided about 739,000 meals to people across the state," said Tom Bonderenko, Executive Director of Moveable Feast. "We help people with HIV, breast cancer, other forms of life threatening illnesses. We also support part of the homeless population that is chronically homeless and often exposed to either HIV or other life threatening conditions."

Tavern favorites include the veggie melt and the three cheese.  It's comfort food at its best.

"It's true. People love grilled cheeses.  I think everybody had them as a kid and it kind of takes you back to a place when you were young and happy," said Maddox. "Come on out, enjoy yourselves.  There will be samples for people. Hopefully, it will be a beautiful day, [and you can] hang out in the sky bar outside."

It's just $10 to get in and tickets are going fast.

"Please come out Sunday and support the Mt. Washington Tavern and the Grilled Cheese Cook-Off.   You're doing a good thing. One hundred percent  of the proceeds go to Moveable Feast.  Tickets are $10 each and kids under 10 get in free.  You'll have a fun day and make a difference for people's lives across the state," said Bonderenko.

"The response has been amazing. I think people are really excited for something new and different to do. It benefits Moveable Feast and we'll be feasting, so it all kind of goes together," said Maddox.

April is National Grilled Cheese Month and WJZ's Ron Matz will be one of the judges at Sunday's benefit.

For ticket information, click here.