Veg Out 

by Kelsie Barton | Dec 20, 2023 | December 2023/January 2024, Eat

Ring in Veganuary with the inaugural Raleigh Vegan Chef Challenge.  

Move over, Dry January—there’s a new health-focused challenge helping us kick off the new year, and it has the potential to inspire a plant-astic lifestyle change. 

Starting Jan. 1 and lasting through the end of the month, the Raleigh Vegan Chef Challenge invites both local chefs and residents to give vegan eats a try. Participating restaurants will showcase delicious plant-based dishes created specifically for the event, while diners in the community will show their support by eating out, sampling the options and voting for their faves online, with the winning dishes announced in early February. 

Raleigh is the latest city to embrace the vegan vibes with this challenge, which is hosted by Vegan Outreach in partnership with Veganspired and sponsored by the Triangle Vegetarian Society, Mathematics Institute of the Triangle and Plant Dining Partnerships.

“As a food justice activist, I was looking for ways to grow awareness in my city about the benefits of plant-based eating,” says local organizer Colleen Kane of Veganspired. “In my search for outreach opportunities, I came across the Vegan Chef Challenge. This now-national challenge began in Durham in 2010, when Eleni Vlachos noted the limited vegan options available. Her friend, a chef, encouraged her to come up with a contest to pique chefs’ interests.”

The concept eventually caught the attention of Sacramento, California-based nonprofit Vegan Outreach, which now supports and facilitates Vegan Chef Challenges in over 30 cities nationally, with more slated to debut in 2024.

The monthlong stretch coincides with international “Veganuary” campaigns, in which people across the globe take up 30-day vegan challenges, as well as the restaurant industry’s usual post-holiday sales slump.

“January is a popular month for people to try new things and take steps to improve their lives,” shares Roberta “Birdie” Celebrano, Vegan Outreach’s assistant Vegan Chef Challenge coordinator. “By featuring delicious vegan food, local businesses participating in the Raleigh VCC not only appeal to those seeking a lifestyle change, but also tap into the burgeoning plant-based market, which boosts their sales in a typically slow month. It’s a fantastic opportunity to entice both loyal patrons and curious foodies who might not have visited before.”             

Local faves including Sassool, Gringo A Go Go and 13 Tacos & Taps have already signed on to compete in the buzzy challenge, with more restos expected to join in the creative fun (see the full list of participants here).

“Restaurants that already have at least some vegan and vegetarian options have been more inclined to participate, as they already carry ingredients to make simple swaps like a plant-based butter for dairy butter, or tofu for meat,” explains Kane. “Among those who can’t participate this year for logistical reasons, quite a few have already requested to be invited next year.” She adds, “as plant-based eating becomes more and more popular, restaurants that have no or very few options will realize they need to adapt to keep up with the competition.” 

Both Celebrano and Kane are excited for what the next month holds for the City of Oaks. “People who are veg-curious, environmentalist or health-conscious will be delighted to see these new plant-based options debut at local restaurants,” Kane maintains. “Often, people think moving to a plant-based diet means giving something up. But with innovation that replicates the familiar texture and flavor of animal products or invites you to explore new foods, you don’t miss out on a thing, and can even enjoy expanding your culinary horizons.” Sounds like the perfect “veganning” to a healthy new year!