A friendly food competition in New York City is showcasing a western Kentucky restaurant owner.

A normally bustling restaurant is now quiet. All you can hear is the sound of passing cars and birds chirping.

Southern Reds is empty and closed in Water Valley but it’s for a good reason.

Owner Micah Seavers is in New York City prepping for an adventure of a lifetime – to put his culinary skills to the test on a national stage.

“They’re doing a salmon tartare, we’re doing fried salmon patties and we’re doing chicken and dumplings, they’re doing barley soup, they’re doing their dessert and we’re doing biscuit pudding,” said Seavers.

Those are some of the menu items for the 12-course meal Seavers has to cook for “Chop Hunger,” a friendly food competition featuring accomplished cooks.

But this isn’t an opportunity that came to him randomly.

“Need is everywhere,” said Seavers. “It doesn’t have a border. It doesn’t have state line. It doesn’t have a religious line.”

The group flew him out to the east coast to compete in the event.

Masbia is raising money for meals and groceries for people in need.

“So many people don’t have food and don’t have a way to feed their family or feed themselves,” said Alexander Rapaport, the executive director of the Masbia Soup Kitchen Network. “That’s what we want to bring to peoples’ attention as we have fun.”

He’s grateful to maintain relationships with people who’ve helped out with relief efforts.

And fun is also what Seavers is expecting from this unique event.

“If you open your arms and your heart and your door to anybody, you get good experiences on both ends of it,” said Seavers.

He hopes that through this, he’ll be able to give back to the people who’ve also helped western Kentucky.

Tickets for the live event range from $1,000 to $10,000 dollars.

All proceeds go to the Masbia Soup Kitchen Network in New York City.

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