On Sunday, Justin Severino, executive chef of the new Elements Contemporary Cuisine in Gateway Center, and WQED's Rick Sebak will taste the handiwork of other hot chefs to determine the quintessential Rachel's Sustainable Dish of 2010.

You can taste and judge the dishes for yourself, too, during the fourth Rachel's Sustainable Feast, which this year moves from the Springdale homestead of renowned environmentalist Rachel Carson to take over the Rachel Carson Bridge -- the new name for the Ninth Street Bridge, Downtown.

The festivities run from noon to 5 p.m. Chefs who normally support local sustainable farmers -- Bella Sera's Jason Capps, Habitat's Andrew Morrison, Salt of the Earth's Kevin Sousa, Six Penn Kitchen's Keith Fuller to name a few -- will be serving their dishes to the crowd. Attendees also can shop the farmers market, where other eco-friendly vendors and groups will be set up, too. "Meet people changing things," notes Slow Food Pittsburgh, which is one of several other groups handing out food (they'll be hand-cranking and serving ice cream as well as tomato jam). Admission is $10 (free for children 5 and younger).

Bill Fuller, executive chef of big Burrito Restaurant Group, was the first chef on board in 2007 and remains one of the event's most enthusiastic supporters.

"We do it because we believe in the Rachel Carson concept of clean air and water and a clean environment," he says. "Local food dovetails into that."

As competitive as he is tall (the Falls Creek, Pa., native stands 6 foot, 3 inches), Mr. Fuller insists he isn't out to capture top honors in the cooking contest -- he'd rather someone young and new to Pittsburgh's cooking scene get recognized -- but merely to make "good food, and make people happy."

"I just want to have some fun," he says. He'll prepare Eleven's seasonal heirloom tomato salad with basil aioli, black pepper bacon and sourdough croutons.

The judging is to happen around 1:30 p.m., when Mr. Severino and Mr. Sebak will be given samples from each participating chef, along with details of each dish's local sourcing. They'll also be judging presentation, taste and creativity..

Ms. Carson was born in 1907 and lived at the Springdale house for 22 years. She died in 1964, and is most famous for her last book, "Silent Spring," which warned against pesticides' negative consequences and helped start the environmental movement.

Ms. Carson also was concerned about factory farms that were popping up in her day, notes Rachel Carson Homestead Association spokeswoman Fiona Fisher.

Ms. Fisher points out that the festival once again encourages folks to travel to and from the fest as sustainably as possible -- by walking, biking, paddling, busing or carpooling.

At 9 that morning, you can take a Women of Pittsburgh Walk, organized by Venture Outdoors, which will lead a tour to sites important to women's history Downtown and wind up at the bridge just as the fest starts. The walk costs $10 and walkers get a $3 discount on the feast (ventureoutdoors.org).

Also, the Three Rivers Community Foundation is organizing a 5K Run & Walk (postponed from June's World Environment Day) to promote local sustainable efforts. That event, which welcomes dogs, also winds up at the fest and paid entrants ($15) get into the feast for free (rungreenpa.org). For more on the fest, visit rachelcarsonhomestead.org.

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