Inaugural Vegan Chef Challenge Kicks Off Friday In Princeton

PRINCETON, NJ – A challenge so delicious, you may not miss meat. If you love plant-based diet, this event will surely excite you.

Beginning Sept. 1, local chefs will be participating in the inaugural Princeton Vegan Chef Challenge.

Chefs from popular area restaurants will compete for the dining public’s votes. They will rustle up creative and delicious plant-based menus for patrons. The restaurants have been asked to create three new vegan menu options for the month of September. These can be appetizers, entrees, desserts, or even a drink.

The event will run through the month of September and in October the winning dishes will be announced. And for patrons, participation is easy. All they have to do is visit one of the restaurants, try their vegan dishes and vote before or by Sept. 30.

The event is being hosted by Vegan Outreach, NJVeg and Vegan in NJ. Steve Fenster of NJveg and Cherise Daly of Vegan in NJ said the aim of the challenge was to increase the availability of vegan dining options at Princeton-area restaurants.

"Most college towns have restaurants offering vegan options, but Princeton has been lacking in this regard," said Fenster and Daly. "With challenges in other cities, most restaurants kept at least one of the options on their menu after the challenge concludes, so we're looking forward to similar results in Princeton."

The host organizations hope the chefs come up with lots of delicious new vegan menu items. NJveg and Vegan in NJ have also planned meetups at each of the 17 participating restaurants.

"We also set up a public spreadsheet so diners can plan to get together for a meal. Diners will be able to vote on their favorites during the challenge at its website. We hope both the chefs and the dining public enjoy the challenge," Fenster and Daly said.

Here are the 17 area businesses participating in the event

• Mediterra
• Lady and the Shallot
• The Perch at the Peacock Inn
• Nomad Pizza Princeton
• The Mint
• Planted Plate
• Tipple + Rose Tea Parlor
• Whole Earth Center Deli
• Jammin Crepes
• Le Bon Gout
• Say Cheez Café
• Amazing Thai
• Savory Leaf Café
• LiLLiPiES Bakery
• Blue Bears Special Meals
• Contemplate Kitchen
• Arlee's Raw Blends.

Vegan Outreach is an international nonprofit aimed at reducing animal suffering by promoting a vegan lifestyle through education and making vegan options more accessible.

NJveg’s mission is all about educating the public on the benefits of a plant-based diet via free literature, speakers, and more

Vegan in NJ supports people on their vegan journey, wherever they are. They share restaurant reviews, vegan-owned businesses, restaurant maps, and more resources.

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