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Every part of a delicata squash—seeds, fruit and skin—is edible, which makes this groovy, oblong cold-season crop a perfect ingredient for Urban GreenLab’s zero-waste culinary competition on Sept. 25. Piggybacking on New York-based Climate Week, UGL returns for its second Climate Week Cook-Off, hosted in Marathon Village and featuring cocktails, canapes and voting on who can make the most of delicata squash, while wasting the least.

The friendly competition among five local chefs lines up with the mission of UGL, which launched in 2009 to create a more sustainable Nashville through training, awareness and education in homes, schools and workplaces. In partnership with Environmental Law Institute, UGL’s Food Waste Initiative trains and connects stakeholders to prevent food waste, rescue surplus food, and compost and recycle food scraps to build healthy soil. Look for the Initiative’s colorful “Waste Less” murals at Kroger in Green Hills, Turnip Truck on Charlotte, Patagonia in the Gulch, and at Downtown Farmers Market on Farm Shed 1.

When it comes to leveraging all parts of the delicata squash, expect creamy, nutty roasted sections tossed on salads, whirled into soups, and topped with crunchy toasted squash seeds. Or maybe skins shaved into decorative ribbons? Or fruits fashioned into vessels for custardy desserts? Who knows what to expect when chefs from Etch, Noko, Butcher & Bee and 1 Hotel face off against Edible Nashville’s Skylar Bush, who took home the inaugural Waste-Less Whisk in last year’s Battle of the Turnip. One thing’s for sure: At this sustainable soirée, you’ll want to clean your plate, not just because it’s all irresistible, but because it’s the right thing to do.

To reserve tickets to Urban Green Lab’s Zero-Waste Cook-Off or to learn more about UGL’s programs, including classroom curricula for teachers, Food Waste Initiative, Waste Less Murals and Environmental Justice Initiative, visit urbangreenlab.org