This August over 1,000 Twin Cities diners will visit participating restaurants to purchase and rate challenge meals.

You, and about 19 other selected chefs and restaurants, are invited to develop one new vegan main dish for diners to purchase and enjoy. Pop-ups and food stands are eligible to participate.

Restaurants that register below by June 28 will get discounted rates!  Similarly, restaurants that are creating a new dish will receive a discounted rate, as well as restaurants owned by people from BIPOC communities. And any business that registers for a booth at Twin Cities Veg Fest on September 18 can take part in the challenge for FREE! Learn more about the festival and register at https://www.tcvegfest.com/ .

You have the option to enter a featured classic already on your menu; however, if you do so you won’t be eligible to be the champion. We recommend that you offer vegan sides and desserts as well! The featured vegan special needs to be available throughout the month of August.

Diners will vote online for their favorite vegan dishes, and they can win prizes for submitting their online ratings. We will give every participating restaurant a certificate recognizing their contribution. We will award the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge Champion with a $150 cash prize. Join us for the awards ceremony at Twin Cities Veg Fest on September 18 and discover what you won!

This is the fourth year of the challenge. It has been featured on Fox 9, Kare 11, and KSTP television as well as the Pioneer Press, Minnesota Monthly, MPR news, and influential food blogs. We also promote the challenge through social media boosting, social media influencers, and by offering prizes to diners for social media posts.

To enter, please complete the online registration form below and pay the registration fee (between $40 and $100). The final registration deadline is Monday, July 11.

Once your participation is confirmed, we will start promoting your involvement leading up to the August 1st launch and for the duration of the event. You will receive table tents to display and information to place in billing folders to encourage voting. We look forward to having you take part in the challenge!