Local restaurants are preparing their “un-beet-able" dishes for the upcoming Bloomington Vegan Chef Challenge.
Throughout the month of August, various Twin City restaurants will serve special vegan menu items. These meals will be competing with those from other restaurants to win the Vegan Chef Challenge.
The winner is decided by Bloomington-Normal's foodies. Anyone who tries one of the dishes can leave a review, and those who try multiple can vote for their favorite. Winners can receive anything from window placards to cookbooks, and anyone who votes is automatically entered in a raffle to win a gift certificate from one of the participating vendors.
This is the second year the Twin Cities will host the monthlong event. Returning to the competition this year are Bakery and Pickle, Epiphany Farms, Harmony Korean BBQ, Pollen and Pastry, Puran India and The Coffee House. Last year’s winner was Pizza Payaa, whose owner, Adam Elpayaa, crafted his own recipe for dairy-free cheese using cashews and nutritional yeast.
The Vegan Chef Challenge has taken place in cities all over the nation, starting in North Carolina in 2010. The recurring event is sponsored by Vegan Outreach, whose mission is to end violence against animals.
The full list of competing restaurants and the link to vote can be found on the Vegan Chef Challenge website.
