Vegan Fest Cook-off Showcases How Delicious Vegan Food Can Be

Berkeley Heights, NJ - During the afternoon of Sunday, September 16, approximately 100 vegans and non-vegans alike gathered in Lower Columbia Park behind Columbia Middle School to participate in the first-ever Vegan Cook-off, sponsored by the Berkeley Heights Environmental Commission (BHEC). The Cook-off was the final event in a three-day series of events constituting the Berkeley Heights Vegan Fest.

First year Community Engaged Learning (CEL) students from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) assisted at the Cook-off, helping to guide attendees from Plainfield Avenue to the park, check-in contestants, prepare the judges' ballots, create 5 plates of each dish for each of the five judges, and shuttle these dishes to the judges for tasting and evaluation.

As attendees began arriving, so did some very creatively-named dishes for each of the Main Course, Appetizer, and Dessert categories. Creations such as "Not So Crabby Cakes," "Feisty and Spicy Southwestern Egg Rolls," and "A 'Date' to Remember" were just some of the approximately 20 entries whose taste, presentation, and originality the judges appraised.

The "five-star" panel of judges assembled consisted of non-vegans Mayor Bob Woodruff as well as BHEC members Kevin Hall and Alvaro Medeiros. The other two judges, King El, the founder of vegan-centric La Vodega Food Hall and Market, and Jake Blochinger, the owner of Montclair Vegan, rounded out the panel. Having two vegans with sophisticated palates, as well as three non-vegans, left no doubt that the dishes being sampled were tasty and appealing to all. In fact, at the outset of the competition, eyeing all of the visually inviting dishes, Mr. Medeiros stated, "I should not have eaten breakfast this morning."

As emcee and BHEC member Kinan Tadmori announced each dish and its respective ingredients, certain mysteries were explained and resolved. For instance, the answer to Mayor Woodruff's question, "How can you make a cheesecake without cheese?" was revealed at the time of tasting: use ground cashews.

All of the judges were favorably impressed by the quality of the entries presented to them. Certain judges even asked their family members to "guard" their leftovers of certain dishes, so that post-judging, they could go back and finish eating the entire portion of these particular dishes.

The mood during the entire event was up-beat and fun. Given the beautiful weather that accompanied the Cook-off, audience members had very positive things to say about the Cook-off. Some of them even commented on how certain dishes paired well with the outdoor temperature. One audience member - after hearing the name of the dish "You Can Tune a Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish Awesome Chickpea Sandwich" even remarked about how a nice chickpea sandwich would be very refreshing on a warm day such as this. Insofar as refreshments for the crowd was concerned, though, The Juice House of New Providence distributed samples of its juices and other goods to attendees who sought refreshment in the form of a vegan drink.

At the end of the event, Vegan Fest Event Chair and BHEC member Kim Diamond announced all winners, while TCNJ student Jared Kofsky drew names randomly from a bag to determine the winners of random door prizes. The top three finishers in each category - Main Course, Appetizer, and Dessert - received a trophy, as well as a fabulous prize from a local vendor. The winners and their related prizes were as follows:

A. General Public Division

Appetizer:

First Place - Name: David Steiner; Dish: Feisty & Spicy Southwestern Egg Rolls; Prize: Massage Envy - 60 minute massage, facial, or total body stretch

Second Place - Name: Linda Meehan; Dish: Korean Perilla Leaves; Prize: Lululemon yoga mat

Third Place - Name: Toni Emm; Dish: Spinach Artichoke Appetizer; Prize: Soho Nail manicure

Main Course:

First Place - Name: Anibal Darquea; Dish: Dragon Bowl; Prize: Sublime - Full body massage

Second Place - Name: Danielle Melchiorre; Dish: Not So Crabby Cakes; Prize: European Wax gift basket
Third Place - Name: David Steiner; Dish: You Can Tune a Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish Awesome Chickpea Sandwich; Prize: Nail It Spa manicure and pedicure

Dessert:

First Place - Name: Diane Niceforo; Dish: A "Date" to Remember; Prize: Skin Deep Signature European Facial

Second Place - Name: Megan Schmeling; Dish: Vegan Chi Tea Cupcakes; Prize: Dimaio Cucina dinner for two

Third Place - Name: Megan Schmeling; Dish: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies; Prize: Nail It Spa Manicure

B. Restaurant Division

Main Course - Winner: Devour Catering; Dish: Acorn Squash Dish

Dessert - Winner: Devour Catering; Dish: Vegan Pumpkin Scones

The BHEC would like to recognize other event sponsors Stop and Shop of Berkeley Heights, Whole Foods Market, Sterling Hallmark, and Hacienda Grill, for their generous contributions and gifts that made this event possible.

For further information regarding Berkeley Heights Vegan Fest, including information regarding vegan recipes, the Vegan Fest Vegan Quest, and other materials, please visit the BHEC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BerkeleyHeightsEnvironmentalCommission/.