Special to the Vanguard
May 25th, 2023 – The month-long Yolo County Vegan Chef Challenge has wrapped up and the winning chefs have been presented awards at a ceremony on May 23rd at UC Davis, Scrubs Cafe. Winners were chosen by Yolo County residents who dined at the participating restaurants during the Challenge.
Over 220 people voted for various chefs and dishes. There were also 10 “super voters—” diners who ate at 3 or more Vegan Chef Challenge restaurants during the month of February. Voters were vegan, vegetarian, and meat-eaters. Their dining support enabled us to honor some wonderful local chefs!
Vegans want more options, and restaurants want more customers—making the challenge a win-win. Former chef, Alex Bury points out, “If a group of friends is planning a dinner out on the town, and one of them is vegan, the entire group will skip a restaurant without good vegan options.”
Due to the resounding success of this project, the team behind the Yolo County Vegan Chef Challenge has already confirmed a 2024 challenge. The challenge social media pages will be running year-round, featuring new dishes and restaurants in the Yolo County area.
Winner List:
- Mosted Voted/ Best Entree : UC Davis: Scrubs Cafe, Mushroom Carnitas
- Best Burger: Davis Co Op Kitchen, Vaquero Burger
- Super Voter: Most Creative, Bones Craft Kitchen
- Best Salad: Red 88 Noodle Bar, Mango Salad
- Super Voter: Best Presentation, Manaoo Thai Cusine
- Super Voter: Best Overall Menu, Red 88 Noodle Bar
- Best Cookie:Let them Eat Cake, Chocolate Caramel Cookie
- Best Appetizer: Bones Craft Kitchen, Oyster Karrage
- Most Wanted : Upper Crust, Doughnuts
- Best Juice: Bare Juices, Miss Magenta
- Most Anticipated Pop Up: Zims Cuisine
The Vegan Chef Challenge invites diners to explore the many benefits of a plant-based diet by signing up for the free 10 Weeks to Vegan program. This guided challenge gives people everything they need to start eating vegan. To learn more, please visit www.10weeks.org.
