(NAPSI)—Most people have a nearby restaurant where the food and atmosphere evoke a great sense of hometown pride. Now you can help shine the spotlight on your favorite treasure and in the process give it a chance to earn a nice cash prize, donate to charity and get a special visit from celebrity chef Amanda Freitag.

That’s because the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest celebrates the one-of-a-kind dishes that small, independent and often family-run restaurants serve up every day, not to mention the special role these restaurants play within their communities. General Mills Foodservice, which supplies restaurants with high-quality products to help make the favorite dishes their customers love, created the contest to showcase independent restaurant owners who don’t often get a lot of recognition.

“They are truly unsung heroes. By serving food we love to eat in a welcoming environment, these neighborhood restaurants and diners are often the backdrop for many of life’s important moments and serve as a special gathering place in our communities,” said Alyca Judge, senior marketing manager for General Mills Foodservice.

Through the contest, restaurants have the opportunity to get national recognition for their specialty dishes that reflect their local flavor and the chance to win a Grand Prize package worth $50,000, including $10,000 to share with charity. In addition, Freitag of Food Network’s “Chopped” will visit the Grand Prize Winner’s restaurant this summer to meet with staff and customers.

Contest Details

The contest, accepting entries through Feb. 28, 2017, is open to foodservice operators, chefs and line cooks who develop or prepare recipes for items served at independent, commercial restaurants.

Entrants may submit their favorite original breakfast, entrée or dessert recipe using at least one ingredient from General Mills Foodservice’s participating brands.

In addition to the Grand Prize Winner, a First Place Recipe Winner will collect $15,000 and the Second Place Recipe Winner will receive $10,000. Three honorable mentions will be awarded $1,000: $500 for themselves and $500 to share with a local charity.

The top three Recipe Winners will travel to Minneapolis in June for the Grand Prize Winner announcement.

Help Spread the Word

While the contest is for independent, family dining or neighborhood restaurants, anyone can encourage his or her favorite eating spot to enter. You never know…you may play a hand in helping it get some well-deserved attention as well as some funds for a community charity. Here’s how to get your favorite local restaurant in on the action.

Tell it about the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest and encourage the restaurateurs to visit www.NeighborhoodtoNation.com.

Visit the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NeighborhoodToNation) and share the page with your favorite restaurant.

Learn More

The official rules are online at www.NeighborhoodtoNation.com. In addition, restaurants can contact a General Mills Foodservice sales representative or call (800) 215-6120 for more information.