This year’s Cooks with Collars clergy cooking contest has come to a close, with nine priests winning awards in the friendly competition.
But the real winners were the people of the Diocese of Allentown, because this year’s culinary challenge raised more than a quarter million dollars for parishes around the Diocese.
Over the past six years, Cooks with Collars has generated more than $1 million in donations for participating parishes.
During that time, heartwarming videos of priests making their favorite recipes have garnered more than 100,000 views, attracted national and international attention, and shown priests as real people who — just like anyone at the end of a hard day — get hungry and need to go home and rustle up something for dinner.
This year’s winners were:
Top Chef - Monsignor Thomas Baddick, Notre Dame of Bethlehem: He talked about his Irish and Polish heritage, but fell back on his beloved Italian food to make his version of bruschetta — chopped tomatoes on grilled bread. As Top Chef, Msgr. Baddick raised the most money, $49,671, which will go toward completing repairs on the church ceiling.
Most Popular Chef — Father Giuseppe Esposito, St. Anne, Bethlehem: Butter sage pasta was on the menu in Father Esposito’s rectory kitchen. He won this category because he attracted the most views of all 44 cooking videos posted this year. His video was seen more than 1,000 times, and it raised $11,025 for his parish.
Commemorative 65th Anniversary Award — Father Stanley Moczydlowski, St. Benedict, Mohnton: This was a special award this year for the priest whose video attracted the most $65 donations in honor of the Diocese’s 65th Anniversary celebration. Father Moczydlowski’s video on preparing the parish’s traditional chicken barbecue raised $9,500.
Top Chefs by Deanery — This award went to the best fundraiser in each of the Diocese’s five areas, called Deaneries.
- Berks - Father Thomas Bortz, St. Ignatius Loyola, Sinking Spring:Raised $11,620 cooking Pennsylvania Dutch potato filling.
- Carbon - Father Thomas Osei Gyau, St. Joseph, Summit Hill: Cooked a menu of Ghanaian food and raised $5,965 for his parish.
- Lehigh — Father Patrick Lamb, Assumption B.V.M., Northampton: Baked a “lamb” cake, raising $14,257 for his parish.
- Northampton — Father Martin Kern, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem: Produced a video showing four dishes made with potatoes. He raised $13,297 for his parish.
- Schuylkill — Father Jojappa (Joji) Adagatla, Holy Family, Minersville: Cooked lentil curry from his native India and raised $5,875 for his parish.
Top Campus Ministry Chef — Father Eric Tolentino, Alvernia University, Reading:He made “Filipino torta” and raised $1,137 for the campus ministry.
“This year’s Cooks with Collars was another resounding success,” said Michele Mullikin, Executive Director of Stewardship and Development. “I extend heartfelt gratitude to all of the priests who cooked and all of the people who helped them produce this year’s videos.
“I also am especially grateful to everyone who donated this year to help their favorite priests and local parishes with important projects and ministries,” Mullikin said.
The winning videos will remain online for a limited time. To see them, visit www.CooksWithCollars.com.
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