What’s cooking at Thirst?

You may have tasted his recipes before, or seen him hosting Savoring Our Faith, a weekly international cooking show featured on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). Now you will get to see the “cooking show priest” in person at the Thirst Conference in Bismarck Oct. 25-27, and be blessed by all the rich Catholic traditions and recipes he has to share.
           
“I'm honored to be invited to the Thirst Conference to address the needs of the Catholic people of the Diocese of Bismarck,” Fr. Leo Patalinghug said. “Through Plating Grace, I hope to satisfy what people are hungering for, which is God's love.”
           
In addition to being the keynote speaker on the opening night of the Thirst conference on Friday, Oct. 25, Fr. Leo will also be hosting and serve as MC for the live cooking show on the Thirst Conference stage that evening. “Cooking for the Kingdom: A Clerical Culinary Showdown” will feature six priests from the Diocese of Bismarck facing off on two-man teams preparing a dish in front of the live audience to find the best cook in the diocese.
 
Team one will feature Fr. Josh Waltz and Fr. Jordan Dosch, the diocesan vocations duo. Team two highlights the cooking talents of Fr. Keith Streifel and Fr. Tom Grafsgaard. Team three will be one of our newest priests, Fr. Gregory Crane, with Fr. Bill Ruelle. The three teams will prepare a dish in front of the live Thirst Conference audience for the judges to determine the best chefs.
 
About Fr. Leo
 
According to his website (fatherleofeeds.com), Fr. Leo’s focus on Plating Grace “is a movement to bring families back to the dinner table — away from work, school, TV, games and the many other things we get caught up in — to share a delicious meal together, communicate and love one another and be nourished in body, mind and soul.” This powerful movement accomplishes its goals by providing “easy lessons, tasty recipes and reasons to come together and share in the love that only a family or friend can provide.”
           
Fr. Leo currently resides in Baltimore and is a member of a community of consecrated life, Voluntas Dei (The Will of God). He is a bestselling author, radio and podcast host and internationally acclaimed speaker. He has a unique background as a two-time black belt martial arts instructor, award-winning break dancer and choreographer.
 
As an award-winning cook, he has caught the attention of many media and entertainment outlets, from ABC, PBS, NBC, FOX, the Cooking Channel, and the Food Network, on which he defeated a world-famous chef in a competition called, "Throw Down with Bobby Flay!" Fr. Leo also runs a non-profit group called the “Table Foundation,” whose mission is “harvesting the power of food to do good.”
 
The Thirst Conference is free and open to the public. For more information, go to bismarckdiocese.com/thirst.