Thank you to all who voted and participated in the second annual Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge, August 2020! Read about this year’s champion, Heather Klein, the chef and owner behind Root to Rise Kitchen here. Inspired by Vegan Outreach’s Vegan Chef Challenge, this fun and exciting challenge brings new vegan diners to restaurants and new vegan dishes to diners!
The 2020 Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge is presented by Compassionate Action for Animals.
What is the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge?
Chefs and Restaurants create one or more vegan main dishes for diners to purchase, enjoy, and rate online throughout August. Some restaurants provide new vegan sides and desserts as well!
Diners are invited to visit participating restaurants throughout August, purchase the challenge dishes, enjoy, and then rate their experience online.
Publicly post photos of meals you enjoy on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #tcveganchef and be entered to win a prize from participating restaurants! We’ll choose a new winner each week and announce the winners on our social media channels, below.
At the end of the challenge, a champion and other winners are selected based on the votes received, so the more diners share their experiences, the better for all!
Invite friends and family to join you in trying out all-vegan specials created for the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge. That’s right—you can help animals just by eating out with friends. If you or your friends want to try a full veg lifestyle, you can also take the fun and free 21-day Explore Veg Challenge to get email support and a restaurant discount card mailed to your home!
Participating Restaurants
Make sure to check restaurant hours and pickup information before planning your visit!
Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge in the News
- On MPR’s Appetites – New vegan options show growing interests at restaurants
- Kare 11 News – Namaste Cafe on the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge
- Restaurants Get Creative in the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge | Twin Cities Magazine
- Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge and Root To Rise on WCCO 4 News
- The Plant-Based Beard dines at Shish
- Bite-Sized Beet on the 2020 Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge
- The Jason Show – New restaurant Avocadish promotes #tcveganchef and their luscious Sweet N’ Spicy Bowl
- Mistress Ginger dines at Namaste Cafe
- Kare 11 – The Naughty Greek shares favalafel secrets and the scoop on #tcveganchef
- Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine – The Feed | July 31, 2020
- Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge on Fox 9 News
- The St. Paul Pioneer Press in January 2020 and October 2019
- The Growler
- Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce Blog
- The Bite-Sized Beet
- Food Service News
- Mistress Ginger
- Keeping Up with Coco & Lala
Here’s what we heard from voters in the 2019 challenge:
- “I love this vegan chef challenge and appreciate all who participate!”
- “The Vegan Chef Challenge dish was the only vegan item on the menu. We live in the neighborhood but always have to drive to a vegan destination. We’d frequent this restaurant if they added a few vegan options.”
- “It’s the best thing I ever had there. Very satisfying and balanced and colorful and just great.”
- “Might have been the best thing I’ve eaten all year. Amazing.”
- “By far the best vegan food I have ever put in my mouth!”