Project Green Fork celebrates sustainability, collaboration, and community at Crosstown Concourse
Chefs prepare dishes at Crosstown Concourse for Reharvest Memphis. Photo credit: Cameran Crutcher.
By Cameran Crutcher
Oct. 10,2025
The sound of sizzling pans and clinking silverware filled Crosstown Concourse on Oct. 9 as Memphis chefs gathered for a challenge unlike any other - turning rescued ingredients into restaurant-worthy dishes.
The event marked the first-ever Reharvest Chef Cook-Off, hosted by Project Green Fork, a Clean Memphis program dedicated to helping restaurants reduce waste and build sustainable practices.
“This event is really about showing that food doesn’t have to go to waste,” said Ali Manning, Project Green Fork’s project consultant. "It just doesn’t have to go away. We have a food rescue partner lined up, composting services, and recycling services so that nothing ends up in the landfill, less than ten percent.”
The evening’s theme centered on Taste, Creativity, Sustainability, and Presentation, challenging chefs to combine culinary artistry with environmental awareness. Manning described the setup as a mix between MasterChef and a community dinner.
“I really wanted the family-style table tonight,” she said. “Community eating, emphasis on togetherness. We wanted people to experience what sustainability can taste like.”
Among the chefs was Sarah Cai, co-owner of Good Fortune Co., a downtown Memphis restaurant known for handmade noodles and dumplings. Tai crafted a vibrant dish inspired by Thai papaya salad with an unexpected twist.
“I got some fun ingredients from the food bank,” Cai said. “The broccoli stem inspired me. I made a broccoli stem salad and even a salsa verde made with broccoli. So it’s broccoli seasoned with broccoli.”
Chef Sarah Cai presenting her culinary creation. Photo credit: Cameran Crutcher
For Cai, the event was not only about culinary creativity but also about community and purpose.
“I love that this event makes us think differently,” she said. “It’s fun. It makes me flex my creativity and reminds me why I love what I do.”
Chef Kevin Sullivan, owner of Kitchen Laurel, also brought his creativity to the table, preparing a broccoli pasta with cashew butter and a raspberry-cherry gastrique. His dish blended bright acidity and creamy texture, a combination as thoughtful as it was flavorful.
“It’s all about love and the food,” Sullivan said. “We don’t get to hang out much outside the kitchen, so this brings us together. It’s love in the food, love to see each other excel.”
Dish by Chef Kevin Sullivan. Photo Credit: Cameran Crutcher
Beyond the kitchen, Clean Memphis educator Amber Lipford connected the sustainability message to her ongoing work in local schools.
“We go into classrooms and teach kids about environmental science and sustainability,” Lipford said. “We use books as a hook, reading stories about the planet, then leading activities that help kids become champions for the environment.”
As the judges tallied their votes, one dish stood out for its creativity and heart. Lulu’s Bakery and Café took home the top honor, winning the night’s Reharvest Chef Cook-Off title.
The dish from LuLu's Bakery and Cafe and the winners of the cookoff. Photo Credits: Cameran Crutcher
Project Green Fork currently works with more than 50 restaurants across Memphis through its membership portal, helping them implement composting, recycling, and energy-efficient practices. Manning said the program’s strength lies in collaboration and in giving chefs a platform to advocate for change.
“These chefs are champions for the program,” she said. “We need chefs to speak on our behalf and talk to other chefs about this process. They do this every day, they’re the experts.”
By the end of the night, the room buzzed with laughter, applause, and the warm hum of shared purpose. Plates were cleared, but the message lingered: Memphis’ path to sustainability is creative, communal, and filled with heart.
“Ultimately,” Manning said, “we’re just proving that sustainability can be delicious.”
GALLERY 🔽
Contact Cameran Crutcher at cameranbcrutcher@yahoo.com