2018 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service- Health Fair

Top Chef Comes to Southwest Georgia to Help Celebrate MLK Day Health Fair

Chef Airis Johnson, a nationally recognized chef and food blogger, and Chopped Food Network, winner, will visit several locations throughout Southwest Georgia, January 10-14, 2018 to promote healthy eating. The series of events are co-sponsored by Albany State University, Albany Technical College, Ag-First Community (Farmer) Cooperative, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and First Albany Deliverance.

For 14 years, Chef Johnson has worked in many genres of the food industry for greats like Danny Meyer (Shake Shake), Gordon Ramsay (Gordon Ramsay at the London, NYC), and Sue Torres (Suenos). Johnson was featured in the April 2016 edition of Essence Magazine.

The purpose of this event is to educate the community about the importance of eating farm fresh produce and meats to reduce the incidences of diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure among African American populations in Southwest, Georgia. Furthermore, the series of programs will introduce students to careers within the food and restaurant industry; while simultaneously exposing students to a renowned chef and entrepreneur.

The Civil Rights Movement, led by Dr. King, changed much in American society; however, there remains racial and ethnic disparities in health care treatment; furthermore; good quality food is essential to good health. Experts believe food poverty is the inability to consume an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food that is useful for health. A total eradication of food insecurity would require that people not only have enough food, but that they have enough good food.

Chef Johnson (along with the culinary arts students at Albany Technical College) will address these issues by creating health conscious dishes named for Albany Civil Rights leaders such as Attorney Mary Young Cummings, Erma Wilburn, Rutha Harris, Rev. Samuel B. Wells and Attorney C. B. King. Ag-First Community Cooperative, which represents farmers in Southwest Georgia, will donate farm fresh food for the event.

The MLK Day health fair and luncheon are free and open to the public. However, those interested, must participate in the health fair held, Saturday, January 13, 2018, from 9 until 11:30 am prior to the lunch at noon. Both the lunch and health fair will be held at Youth Outreach Center, located 1500 South Slappy Blvd, Albany.