The fast-growing South of the James Market is adding a new dimension tomorrow.

City Councilwoman Kathy C. Graziano, whose efforts led to the establishment this year of the Saturday morning farmers market in the main parking lot at Forest Hill Park, will be among the competitors in the MarketVibe Chefs Challenge.

The challenge is designed to highlight the wide array of produce, meats and fresh pasta available at the market, to showcase the cooking skills of the competitors and to raise money for charity.

Graziano will be joined by her sons Tommy and David to compete against a team of chefs from Positive Vibe Café to see who can come up with the best dishes -- prepared exclusively with goods sold at the market.

When the market opens at 8 a.m., competitors will be allowed to shop for one hour, then they must post a menu featuring at least three items. All cooking must be done on site using grills or small kitchen appliances.

Judging, by a panel of Richmond-area chefs and foodies, will be held before the market closes at noon.

Graziano said her team plans to prepare at least five dishes, a figure she doesn't think should be a problem given the diverse offerings at the market, which opened May 3 with 28 vendors but now features nearly four dozen each Saturday.

Graziano also has a strong support system: Tommy Graziano is the owner and head chef of Charley's Waterfront Café in Farmville, and David is a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef who works at Stonewall Market in Richmond.

"We originally thought of this as a way to get people to come to the park, and it's also a good way to show people what they can do with fresh stuff," said Graziano, who added that her primary duty in the competition will be preparing pasta sauce. "It should be fun. We should raise a lot of money for a good cause and get even more people to come to the market."

Shoppers will be able to make donations to Positive Vibe, a nonprofit restaurant that trains and employs people with disabilities.
Contact Joe Macenka at (804) 649-6804 or jmacenka@timesdispatch.com.