INOVA CEO's Battle it out in Cook Off

The was transformed into a sea of media personalities, two competing chefs and hungry Inova employees Thursday during the battle of the CEO celebrity chefs.

Inova Health System CEO Knox Singleton and hospital CEO Dr. Reuven Pasternak whipped up a squash casserole and stuffed peppers respectively. The event highlighted the benefits of fresh local produce and the impact it has both on the economy and environment.

The two high-ranking men engaged in friendly banter with the people who run the day-to-day operations that they oversee at the Fairfax hospital. It was an excellent chance for the employees to have a shot at judging their bosses for once.

It was a tight competition, with Pasternak ultimately winning by a small margin of four plates, defending the title of CEO Chef on his home turf. Employees and visitors acted as judges by purchasing the dish that was more to their liking after enjoying a free sample from each chef.

“Inova has been focused on environmental sustainability for well over a decade at this point,” said Seema Wadhwa, director of sustainability for the Inova Health System. “The first farmer’s market started in 2009, we have monthly focuses on different sustainability initiatives.”

Since the summer of 2009, the Inova Fairfax location has been hosting monthly farmer’s markets in their cafeteria, in support of local farmers and produce.  The Inova Health System sponsors the Northern Virginia chapter of the nationally renowned “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” campaign, which is dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food supply and the farmers who produce it.

By hosting weekly farmer’s markets, they reduce the environmental impact of having people actually drive to find their foods.

“We support two farmer’s markets with equal contributions for the food stamp program, so that people who are on food stamps can have more access to local and sustainable food,” said Wadhwa. “Today’s cooking event highlighted the different recipes that can be used featuring local produce and also to help showcase the farmer’s market.”

More than 67,000 individuals in Northern Virginia receive food stamps on a monthly basis via Virginia’s statewide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program.

The CEO cooking showdown showed that even Inova’s highest in charge care about the nonprofit organization’s mission to improve the health of not only their patients, but the entire community through educational programs.

In September, Inova will team up with Washington, D.C. Fashion week for another environmental sustainability focused event.