There is an art to pairing the perfect wine with a meal. The same could be said for finding just the right Notre Dame program to feature through food prepared for the YMCA of Greatest Chefs of Michiana competition.
Not following? Read on.
Teams from across the region representing restaurants and organizations with dining establishments, like Notre Dame, prepare specialty dishes for the YMCA event, at which guests sample the food and choose their favorites. The contest raises money for the YMCA of Greater Michiana. This year’s competition takes place on Thursday, October 15, but you don’t have to attend to vote early for your favorite team (It costs $50 per vote).
For the past few years, Notre Dame’s team has been a duo—a Notre Dame chef and a “celebrity” who represents a University program or initiative.
In 2024, Notre Dame featured its Campus Sustainability efforts through Senior Director Geory Kurtzhals and the culinary skills of Chef Ryli Vissers. Vissers artfully presented a fall root vegetable pavé—an elegant, layered “cake” made up of ultra-thin slices of seasonal root vegetables. The meal was locally sourced, aligning with the University’s mission to reduce its carbon footprint and promote environmentally friendly practices.
In 2025, the University’s community engagement activities took center stage at the competition through the pairing of Notre Dame Athletics’ JP Abercrumbie, and Executive Pastry Chef Sinai Vespie. Vespie’s dessert creation told the story of the Link Trail, a new urban trail which connects campus to downtown South Bend. The Link was made possible through a partnership between Notre Dame, the city, and Visit South Bend Mishawaka convention and visitors bureau.
This year, the University’s anti-poverty initiative, Padua—powered by the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) and Goodwill Industries of Michiana—gets the spotlight. Assistant Professor of Economics Patrick Turner, a LEO researcher, and South Dining Hall’s Executive Chef Laura Wiese make up the team.
Originally created by Catholic Charities Fort Worth and named after St. Anthony of Padua, the Padua Program inspired the team to present a Texas-Inspired dish to represent the very place the program started. Additionally, the dish is composed of affordable and easy-to-prepare ingredients, making it a dish that participants in the Padua Program may like to cook themselves.
“Dr. Turner and I are honored to represent Notre Dame at the YMCA’s Greatest Chefs Competition. The Padua program is doing such important work in so many communities, including ours. We hope that the dishes bring this work to life and we’re so grateful to be able to support the YMCA and the Padua Program,” Wiese said.
Their entry includes Smoked Beef Cheeks and Goat Cheese Tamales with Cowboy Caviar, which is a cross between bean salad and salsa.