Coaches Cook-Off Kicks Off Second Annual Oxford Restaurant Week

This year, Visit Oxford has partnered with Ole Miss Athletics and added a new event to kick off Oxford Restaurant Week with a Coaches Cook Off at the Grill at 1810 in the Manning Center on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m.

Participating coaches include coach Matt Mott, head coach for Ole Miss Women’s Soccer; coach Johnny Hill, head coach for Oxford High School Football; and coach Eric Robertson, head coach for Lafayette High School who will be preparing their favorite tailgating dishes judged by Ole Miss Athletic Director, Ross Bjork; the voice of the Ole Miss Rebels, David Kellum; and Alderman Jay Hughes.

The event is free and open to the public and will also feature the five local food based charities that are up to win a $5,000 prize at the end of Oxford Restaurant Week. Charities include Good Food for Oxford Schools, More Than A Meal, Love Packs, Meals on Wheels, and the Oxford Food Pantry and will be showcasing what they each offer within the Oxford community. There will be children’s activities including a bouncy house on the Indoor Practice Field. Admission is free with a suggested canned good donation for the Oxford Food Pantry.

Each time you dine at a participating restaurant during Oxford Restaurant Week Jan. 25-31, you have the opportunity to vote on one of the five local food-based charities. Oxford Restaurant Week patrons will be able to vote online each time you eat at a participating restaurant. The charity with the most votes at the end of the week will receive a $5,000 check. Participating restaurants will be offering specials and coupons as well as prix fixe menus throughout Oxford Restaurant Week, which will include anything from a dollar amount off of your purchase to a free dessert with a meal to 15% off your purchase. Many full service restaurants will be offering special prix fixe menus throughout the week that would normally not be offered. Coupons for participating restaurants can be found at Visit Oxford, the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce and all participating restaurants. Coupons will be available on Tuesday, Jan. 20 with a list of all coupons, specials and prix fixe menus.

“We are thrilled about the second annual Oxford Restaurant Week presented by Sysco and think January is a great time to bring visitors to Oxford as well as encouraging our local residents to get out and help out for a great cause,” said Mary Allyn Hedges, Director of Visit Oxford, who’s office coordinates the event.

Oxford Restaurant Week is a great way to not only support Oxford’s local restaurants but to also support and raise awareness of our local food-based charities in Oxford.

Love Packs continues to provide food with discretion to children to last through the weekends and holidays. “We do this because there are so many children in our community who live in poverty and go home hungry” said Mary Leary, Oxford Love Packs President. The “Love Pack” consists of non-perishable and kid-friendly food items and Love Packs provides for over 150 children per week.

Good Food for Oxford Schools is an initiative of the Oxford School District and works to improve cafeteria menus. They also educate students and their families on nutrition-rich diets and other health issues.

The Oxford Food Pantry is a non-profit food bank that distributes food to people in the community in hope to fight hunger.

Meals on Wheels is a national organization that performs on the local level in Oxford. They provide over one million meals to senior citizens around the nation that do not have access to food each day.

More Than A Meal provides fellowship, friends and warm meals to people of the community every Tuesday in Oxford. More Than A Meal’s mission is to help needy women, children and men in Oxford to get back on their feet by providing nutritious meals served in a courteous manner, in a pleasant environment with educational tutoring for school age children and adults as well as providing essential toiletries for health.

For a complete list of participating restaurants and specials, coupons and prix fixe menus visit the website or call Visit Oxford at 662-232-2477.