Expats are invited to enter a cooking contest as part of a “slow food” event in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 3.

The International Residents Cooking Contest is run in partnership with WWOOF Korea, the local branch of an international group that arranges for public volunteers to help on organic farms, and Asio Gusto, a slow-food festival for the Asia-Pacific region. Slow food is a movement encouraging the use of local and regional foods and sustainable farming methods.

Kota Fukuyama, who helps run WWOOF Korea, explained that there were no restrictions on what food could be used but that it was a good idea for participants to use a mix of local ingredients and some from their home countries.

He said the dishes should be for a special event in the entrants’ home countries and should have a background to them.

“Something that has a story,” he said. “If you say ‘local,’ that always has history either on a large scale or a personal level.”

The first prize is 500,000 won with prizes of 400,000 won and 300,000 won for second and third. There are also 27 runner-up prizes of organic food packages.

Entry is free and open to individuals or pairs until Aug. 20. Registration can be made through www.wwoofkorea.org.

(paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)