Now in its 15th year, the Vegan Chef Challenge has just arrived in Oregon.
Eugene is officially the first city in Oregon to compete in a monthlong contest that’s also been observed in roughly two dozen cities in the U.S, Canada and Singapore.
All during February, local restaurants, food trucks, delis and breweries will roll out special vegan entrees. The plant-based winner will be decided by patrons’ popular vote between now and Feb. 28.
Victoria Berger, coordinator for the Eugene Vegan Chef Challenge, got involved herself when she lived in Sacramento. She told KLCC that besides being a great economic booster for eateries, there’s a chance for vegan cuisine to shine for the uninitiated.
“This is a great opportunity to bring the omnivores and herbivores back to the table together so we can all, you know, break bread,” she laughed.
Vegans eat vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and legumes while avoiding anything derived from animals, including dairy, eggs and honey. They do this for dietary, ethical or environmental reasons.
It may surprise some that this inaugural foray into the Vegan Chef Challenge is happening in Eugene instead of Portland, a much larger city in Oregon that prides itself on progressive causes and practices.
“We all know that Portland is the mecca,” Berger explained. “However, because the boroughs are so spread out there they had a really hard time getting anyone to organize. So it just kind of went to the wayside.”
Some day, Portland, some day.
In the meantime, there are 20 establishments signed up in Eugene, including Bao Bao House, Viva! Vegetarian Grill and Willamette Artisan Pizza. Two sponsoring businesses, Capella Market and Drop Bear Brewery, are also competing.
At Drop Bear Brewery, co-owner Lorraine Lehane walks under a sign flanked by a stuffed koala bear and toy kangaroo, and presents her vegan menu for the competition, which includes basil mac and cheese and baklava almonde. Her husband, David, crafts many of their beers on-site. The couple is originally from Australia.
Lehane says as a vegan herself, it’s wonderful to have the Vegan Chef Challenge entice diners of all tastes to this plant-based fare.
“It’s just really good competition,” said Lehane. “I’m really, really pleased that other restaurants have made the effort to be able to accommodate people that have dietary needs as well.”
Lehane says all too often, breweries settle for the standard pub fare of “burger, fries, more fries, and even more fries” which often leaves non-carnivores in a lurch.
Besides a menu that offers food for all types of eaters (a vegan-friendly pizza is named “What a Pear” and a meat-eater’s one is called “Kill the Beast”), the Drop Bear Brewery’s kitchen features four fryers: one for meaty entrees, one for vegetarian grub, and two that are used for gluten-free items.
Creativity, flavor, freshness and execution will factor into the winners, said Berger. She warns against restaurateurs who settle on plating pita chips and hummus, and hopes their cooks will explore and innovate during the contest.
“That's like the biggest thing for me is to just give it a try," she said. "Don't be afraid of vegetables.”
Vegan votes will be tallied after February, with an awards ceremony to be held March 17 at Drop Bear Brewery.
To learn more about the Vegan Chef Challenge and see a complete list of Eugene participants, visit this link.
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