Want to help bring new vegan dishes to restaurants and increase interest in vegan dining? We need YOU to volunteer to make the 2023 Vegan Chef Challenge a roaring success!
What is the challenge?
The Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge (TCVCC) brings new vegan options to Twin Cities restaurants. Diners rate the dishes and restaurants vie to become the champion. It’s a win-win-win! Diners get new options and restaurants increase business. Most importantly, animals are spared through the addition and promotion of vegan options.
The challenge takes place during the month of August each year.
How can I get involved?
Sign up for one of our roles below! Committee members will meet together for one hour every week starting in mid-May. These meetings may take place on Zoom, in the CAA office, and/or at restaurants. Committee members often choose to take on multiple roles. These include:
Restaurant outreach volunteers — We encourage all committee members to pitch in for this role. CAA provides you with materials to bring to restaurants to encourage participation. Closer to the event you’ll drop off promotional materials at the restaurants. After the event you will invite chefs to the final celebration. This position begins in May.
Specifics:
- Volunteers need to provide their own transportation
- Commitment: An estimated 5-8 hours a week for a month
Restaurant follow-up volunteers — These volunteers make sure restaurants have submitted necessary materials (names of dishes, food photos, etc.). We use these for our website and promotion. They also keep restaurants informed of Challenge news via email. This is on a weekly basis once the Challenge starts. In addition, they assist with influencer visit coordination.
Specifics:
- Position can be done from home
- Have basic spreadsheet skills and be comfortable with using email and making follow-up phone calls
- Commitment: An estimated 1-2 hours a week
Influencer coordinator — reach out to influencers about getting a free meal in exchange for posting about the challenge on social media and connect them to restaurants to coordinate their visits
Ratings volunteer — This volunteer creates the Google form diners fill out to rate the dishes they eat. They use a spreadsheet to calculate results and determine the TCVCC Champion. They also help determine the awards for all participating restaurants.
- Commitment: Approximately 3-6 hours to create the survey, make edits, and compile data afterward. The work will be spread out over several months.
Social media admins — These volunteers put posts on social media pages for the Challenge, and help plan social media strategy. Begins in June.
- Commitment: An estimated 3-4 hours a week, starting two months before the challenge and running two weeks after the challenge wraps up.
Please fill out our new volunteer form or email Abbey Feola at abbey.feola@exploreveg.org and let us know what role interests you!