On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, the 15th anniversary edition of the Dish It Up competition will be held at the Lincoln Financial Field. This is one of Philadelphia’s only women chef competitions and is a fundraiser for Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia’s leading domestic violence agency. 

At the event, Ellyn Jo Waller, Ed.D. will be honored as the 2023 Advocate of the Year. Dr. Waller is the president of the Community College of Philadelphia Foundation and the First Lady of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. She is being honored for her work as an anti-human trafficking advocate. 

Waller established She’s My Sister, an anti-human trafficking ministry at her church in 2011. This ministry “seeks to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking in faith communities throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area.” 

It assists in street outreach, advocates for victims and survivors, and supports a drop-in center. 

Waller, herself, is a member of the Philadelphia Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition and is the co-chair of their Religion Subcommittee. She is also the National Chair of the Links, Incorporated Human Trafficking Subcommittee. 

One of last year’s Advocate of Year, Tommi A. Vincent, is serving as the Honorary Event Chair. 

This year’s event will have a new award and competition feature. The first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Mark Lipowicz, Esq. Lipowicz has been a Women Against board member for several decades. 

He found the organization through his work as an assistant district attorney who specialized in the prosecuting rape cases. He also practices in the area of toxic tort, pharmaceutical defense, commercial litigation, and class action litigation. 

The new competition feature is that the chefs will need to use a Goya product in their dishes. Goya Cares is the chef competition sponsor.

This year’s participating chefs are:

• Cristina Martin from South Philadelphia Barbacoa and Casa Mexico
• Emily Chellew from Cry Baby Pasta and Bridget Foy’s
• Lisa Lombo from Aramark
• Christina McKeough from High Street
• Dominique Davis from Collin’s Family Market
• Jazmine Serrano from Boricua
• Tanesha Trippett from Jacobs Northwest
• Darlene Jones from Star Fusion Express
• Jennifer Zavala from Juana Tamale
• Jessica Boese from Nothing Bundt Cakes
• Justine MacNeil from Fiore
• Avery Janelli from Fork

This year’s judges panel includes Chef Kiki Aranita, the owner of Poi Dog Retail Sauces and the 2018 Dish It Up Purple Dish Award winner; Chef Fernando Desa, the Executive Chef and Product Development Manager of Goya Foods, Inc.; Chef Cat, the founder of Just Call Me Chef and Our Time Kitchen; and Cherri Gregg: WHYY Radio news anchor and afternoon drive host. 

The judges will pick a winner in the sweet and savory categories. 

Tickets for the event cost $150 or $75 for young professionals available here. The event goes from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.