Detroit’s popular Collard Green Cook-Off is set to return for its third year on Saturday, July 26, bringing together chefs, growers, and community members to honor Black culinary traditions and urban farming.
The event, hosted by the Detroit is Different Community Group, will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Chandler Park on Detroit’s East Side. This year’s theme, “Bridging Detroit through Culture and Cuisine,” focuses on the city’s history of agriculture and soul food.
Chefs will receive 50 pounds of locally grown collard greens and a $250 budget to prepare either a vegan or smoked-turkey signature dish. More than 400 pounds of greens, sourced from Detroit growers, will be used, with local farmers compensated at $5 per pound.
Guests will sample dishes and cast votes alongside a panel of local food experts.
“The Collard Green Cook-Off isn’t just a food event, it’s an intergenerational celebration. Entire families gather to share stories of food, legacy, and land,” said Khary Frazier, founder of the Detroit is Different Podcast.
Detroit is Different uses storytelling, cultural events, and immersive media to empower Detroit’s Black community. The Cook-Off highlights how food, farming, and tradition can create economic opportunity and community healing.
The event will feature live podcast recordings and storytelling sessions that explore Detroit’s Black culinary heritage and the role of food in cultural preservation. For more information, visit detroitisdifferent.com.
