DAPHNE, Ala.—The city’s education foundation will allow local chefs to compete in the sixth annual “Mamma Mia Cook-off” from 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 13 at Daphne City Hall.

The contest — hosted by Supporting Educational Enrichment in Daphne’s Schools — highlights Daphne’s Italian heritage, with this year’s theme celebrating the first Italian families to settle in the city in the 1800s.

All funds raised will benefit SEEDS’ Classroom Enrichment program, which has distributed more than $140,000 to six Daphne schools since 2005, SEEDS stated.

Cooking teams will compete for awards in six categories: beef; chicken; meatless; seafood; the “Mamma Mia award,” which goes to the best display and presentation; and the “People’s Choice Award.”

Last year, there were 29 teams and more than 800 attendees, and around $25,000 was raised, SEEDS stated. More than 30 teams signed up for this year’s cook-off, SEEDS’ Executive Director Denise D’Oliveira said. Teams are limited to six people.

“Everybody else that buys a ticket gets to taste everybody’s entrees, so you get to come in and move around and taste everybody’s entries into the competition,” D’Oliveira said.

“Participants are encouraged to ‘Taste the Love’ by incorporating the simple ingredients and local produce that were hallmarks of Daphne’s 19th century agrarian way of life,” SEEDS stated.

The event will also include wine, Italian desserts, the Jubilee Orchestra, a silent auction and college football on two big-screen televisions.

“We’re going to have something new this year,” D’Oliveira said. “We’re going to have a new feature called a ‘People’s Choice Award’ where people can put a dollar on whatever entry they like the best and they can vote with their dollar.”

Advance tickets cost $30, and they may be purchased online at www.seedsindaphne.org, or at Daphne City Hall, the Daphne Recreation Department, Will Hughes Catering and Market, Baldwin County Orthodontic Specialists, Riviera Utilities, The Neighborhood School, The Frame Corner or any participating Daphne school. Tickets will cost $35 at the gate.

Want to cook for a cause?

Team registration will continue through Oct. 25, and sign-up forms are available at www.seedsindaphne.org.

For more information, call SEEDS at 251-656-7333.