Chefs have created. Judges have tasted. Diners have voted. And now Healthy People Healthy Suffolk has announced the winner of Suffolk’s first Healthy Dessert Contest, held last week during Suffolk Restaurant Week.

A panel of celebrity judges chose the blood-orange sorbet with buttermilk, pomegranate seeds and mint from Harper’s Table as the first-place winner in a tie-breaking decision. Coming in second place for the presentation prize was Cedar Point Country Club with its chardonnay-and-spice poached pear.

The people’s choice winner, tallied from votes by diners, was the cherry cheesecake parfait from Suffolk BBQ Co.

“I thought it was fabulous that we had 10 restaurants participating and that people ordered the desserts,” said Gina Pitrone, executive director of the Obici Healthcare Foundation, which funded the contest’s $3,500 purse for the three winning restaurants. “I hope it will encourage restaurants to continue to offer healthy options.”

Jett Johnson, program manager for Healthy People Healthy Suffolk, said the contest exceeded his expectations.

“We’d like to do something, hopefully, every restaurant week, as well as at Taste of Suffolk,” Johnson said. “I think we’ve already started to make good connections with the restaurants.”

The desserts developed by the restaurants were required to have fewer than 250 calories per serving, with less than 30 percent of the calories from fat and less than 60 percent of the calories from carbohydrates.

Johnson said the guidelines were developed in partnership with the American Diabetes Association, and the restaurants had to submit lists of ingredients that were then reviewed by a dietitian at Sentara Obici Hospital.

Johnson said Healthy People Healthy Suffolk will encourage the participating restaurants to keep the dessert or another healthy option on their menus.

“They can make money off of it, and it’s good for business,” he said.

“We don’t want restaurants to stop offering what they always offer, but just to add those healthy options,” Pitrone added.

The Suffolk News-Herald provided the online polling capability for the people’s choice portion of the contest.

“Our newspaper was thrilled to partner with Obici Healthcare Foundation, Healthy People Healthy Suffolk and others on a fun project that advocated an important cause,” publisher Steve Stewart said.

“Participating restaurants served up some healthy but tasty desserts, and consumers, by all accounts, responded. Of consumers who voted in the People’s Choice balloting, all but one said they would like to see healthy dessert choices on restaurant menus permanently.”

Other restaurants that participated in the contest, and the desserts they offered, were:

• Al Forno Pizzeria — basil cream and fruit gelee
• Plaid Turnip — Neapolitan mousse stack
• Constant’s Wharf Grill — Holland cobbler
• The Egg Bistro — lemon mascarpone gelato
• Mason’s Seafood and Chophouse — strawberry sorbet
• Amici’s — flourless chocolate cake
• Baron’s Pub — broiled banana split

In its next venture, Healthy People Healthy Suffolk also hopes to partner with restaurants and Sentara Obici Hospital to encourage restaurants to offer heart-healthy options and mark them on their menus. The hospital would also offer heart patients a combined menu of heart-healthy options from all the restaurants as part of the partnership.