Mac 'n Cheese Championship Goes Down in Baltimore

By Aruka Sanchir | January 13, 2018

Guests will chow down on dozens of vegan mac 'n cheese entries to help crown a winner at Baltimore's third annual World Mac 'n Cheese Championship.

Community service center Thrive Baltimore will host the city’s third annual vegan mac ‘n cheese competition on February 10. The World Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese Championship (formerly The Baltimore Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese Smackdown) will take place at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Baltimore as a kick off to the second annual Baltimore Vegan Restaurant Week. “We’ve been getting so much interest in the event this year that we had to book a much larger venue to accommodate everyone,” event organizer Brenda Sanders said. Last year’s event garnered 2,500 attendees—double the amount from the previous year—and 26 competitors from across the nation. A panel of celebrity judges will rate various categories, including best “from scratch” mac ‘n cheese, and “most like grandma’s” mac ‘n cheese. Prizes this year include plaques, T-shirts, and gift cards for local vegan businesses. Attendees will vote on the people’s choice category, and a grand prize of $2500 will be awarded to the winner. Similar competitions have taken place across the country in states such as South Carolina, New York, California, and New Mexico. Last year, Baltimore cemented itself on the vegan map with the opening of all-vegan restaurant The GruB Factory—founded by the winners of last year’s mac ‘n cheese competition.

Photo courtesy of Daiya

Eco Shoe Brand Switches to Vegan Leather in 2018

Shoe brand FeelGoodz ditches animal leather—in favor of high-quality vegan materials—in the new year to build more brand transparency.
Read More »

Arizona Gets its First Vegan Supermarket

Veggie Rebellion will stock favorites such as vegan cheese from Miyoko's Kitchen and meat alternatives from Field Roast and Herbivorous Butcher.
Read More »

Italian Chain Launches Vegan Avocado Pizza

Zizzi added the new vegan pizza and special deals on all vegan entrées for the month of January as part of the Veganuary challenge.
Read More »

Britain's Got Talent Judge Calls for Slaughterhouse Ban

If Alesha Dixon could change any laws, she would ban smoking tobacco and slaughtering animals for human consumption.
Read More »

Veganism Set to Shake Up Big Food Companies in 2018

Food industry analysts agree that plant-based products and businesses will force larger companies to innovate or get out of the kitchen.
Read More »

More Flashbacks