Kansas wildlife department to host wild game cooking contest

SHAWNEE – Whether grilled, smoked, poached, canned or dehydrated – wild foods procured from the Kansas outdoors will be on showcase at the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ first-ever cooking competition in Lawrence on Sunday, November 19, 2023. Whether you’re new to the culinary world, a seasoned home cook or a classically-trained chef, KDWP invites you to compete at this free community partnership event hosted by KDWP, Baker University Wetlands Discovery Center, Native Lands Restoration Collaborative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Haskell University.

The competition will be held at Baker University Wetlands Discovery Center, 1365 N 1250 Rd, in Lawrence from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Competitors may submit entries in any of the following categories: Wild game, wild fish, wild plants, wild mushrooms, wild sweets (fruit, berries, dessert, etc.) and wild invasive/nuisance species. Entries will be judged by a panel of local expert foragers, with prizes awarded to the top entrant in each category, as well as a special prize for the “Community Favorite” entry.

Interested parties may register for the competition.

In addition to the wild foods cook-off, the day’s activities will also include mini workshops on native lands habitat restoration, foraging, and plant and insect identification. A formal land acknowledgement, and presentation on Baker Wetlands history, will also be provided before cook-off winners are formally announced. The day’s events, including the cooking competition, are offered at no cost to the public; and, attendees do not need to register a dish in order to taste entries and/or participate in the day’s workshops.