The City of Houston Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Houston Community Preparedness Collaborative host a first-annual community event to coincide with National Preparedness Month. The event will feature a cooking competition with some of Houston's most celebrated chefs, along with meteorologists and notable food journalists as judges.

The competition will focus on non-perishable food items. All dishes will be prepared onsite and cooked using gas or propane to simulate food prep during times of a disaster. Each chef will be provided with basic pantry items and cookware at their stations and must choose from a list of canned and shelf-stable ingredients, to be unveiled at the event. These ingredients are in the protein; fruits and vegetables; starches, grains and nuts; and comfort foods categories.

Judges will select one winner based on taste, creativity and presentation, and will award the chef with a commemorative trophy for display in their restaurants. 

In addition to the cook-off, there will be emergency response equipment on display, information on disaster preparedness available and other giveaways.