Douglas Kneale and Mike McCallum serve up the winning roasted sweet potato and pear soup at the United Way Souper Star Lunch.

Five chefs duked it out, but in the end, there could only be one winner — Mike McCallum with his roasted sweet potato and pear soup.

The Sodexo chef and his celebrity guest chef, Dean of Humanities Douglas Kneale, received the most votes for best soup from those attending the 2010 Souper Star Lunch on Oct. 20. The annual event benefits Brock’s United Way campaign.

Brock’s campaign goal this year is $112,000. The 2010 campaign goal for the United Way of St. Catharines and District is $3.1 million.

“The United Way is not just about dollars. It’s about the people, and most of all, it’s about the community,” said Valerie Jaeger, 2010 campaign chair for the United Way of St. Catharines and District, at the lunch.

The lunch featured the following soups:

• Cream of broccoli — Roger Gallagher (guest chef: Sohail Ahmed, Brock University Students’ Union)
• Roasted sweet potato and pear — Mike McCallum (guest chef: Douglas Kneale)
• Beef chili with Chorizo sausage and chipotle — Jim Harper (guest chef: Frances Hallworth, executive director, United Way of St. Catharines and District)
• Cheese and wine (Riesling and smoked cheddar) — Tara Lisoy (guest chefs: Kevin Lawr, Brock staff co-chair of the university United Way campaign; Greg Finn, faculty chair)
• Roasted garlic and potato — Pascal Badaoui (guest chef: Barb Daly from the Graduate Students’ Association)

The next fundraiser for Brock’s United Way campaign is a Halloween office decorating contest and food drive on Friday, Oct. 29. To submit your office for judging, email Kevin Grout at kgrout@brocku.ca. The winning office will get a prize. There is no theme this year.

There will also be a trivia night on Wednesday, Nov. 10. The cost is $20 per player with tables of eight people. To participate, email Tara Franken at Tara.Franken@brocku.ca

There will also be a wrap-up lunchtime event on Friday, Nov. 26.

Unveiling Brock's United Way campaign goal are, from left, Val Jaeger, staff campaign co-chair Lynne Prout, staff campaign co-chair Kevin Lawr, President Jack Lightstone and Greg Finn, faculty campaign chair.