This year’s Rapid Fire Challenge theme is Meatless Monday! Chefs will bring on their favorite dishes minus the meat. They are encouraged to get creative and excite the taste buds of the judges.
The winner will be crowned the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show Rapid Fire Champion, receive $1,000, bragging rights and gain exposure to over 100 media outlets, local television and radio affiliates, as well as, thousands of industry professionals.
In addition, Meatless Monday will write a personality piece about the winner which will be sent in their weekly email newsletter, featured on their homepage and promoted via their social media channels. The winning recipe will accompany the piece, and will permanently be included in the Meatless Monday recipe database, crediting the winning chef and linking to his/her website.
The Competing Chefs:
Carly Paige
Founder, FitLiving Eats
Author, “Simply Swapped Everyday”
Featuring Lentil Walnut Tacos with Cashew Sour Cream & Pineapple Avocado Salsa?
Chris Dancesia
Owner/Chef, Nick’s Bistro
Featuring Summer Squash and Rice Noodle with Caribbean Gremolata and Coconut Oil
Anne Hernandez
Founder, Our Urban Homestead
Featuring Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
The Rapid Fire Competition is scheduled on Monday, September 16, 3:30 pm – 5 pm, at the Center Stage, Orange County Convention Center, West Hall – B2, B3 & B4, 9800 International Drive, Orlando, FL.
Each chef has 20 minutes to prep, cook and present her dish to the judges for testing and evaluation, while food show attendees watch in anticipation.
Rapid Fire Emcee:
Shaun O’Neale will emcee the competition. He exploded onto the culinary scene in September 2016 when he claimed the title of America’s best home cook and was named Season 7 Champion of MasterChef on FOX. He graduated from reality star to culinary star in May 2017 with the release of his debut cookbook “My Modern American Table.”
Rapid Fire Judges:
Hari Pulapaka, Ph.D., C.E.C.,
Executive Chef & Co-Owner, Cress Restaurant
Associate Professor of Mathematics, Stetson University
Pet Project: Sinfully Vegetarian
Kendra Lott
Publisher
Edible Orlando
Kristine Palkowetz
Chief Wellness Officer
Joyful Goodness
Dana Smith
Campaign Director
Meatless Monday
Visit Meatless Monday at Exhibit Booth 2005 in the Healthy Food Expo Area, where you’ll learn about the health and environmental benefits of going Meatless Monday, and how to leverage this promotion as part of a restaurant/foodservice marketing strategy. Check out our free Meatless Monday restaurant and foodservice++ implementation guides and promotional materials at: https://www.meatlessmonday.com/start-a-campaign/
Meatless Monday is a nonprofit public health initiative founded by Sid Lerner, chairman of The Monday Campaigns. The initiative is in association with the Lerner Centers for Public Health Promotion at Johns Hopkins, Columbia and Syracuse universities. Meatless Monday encourages the public to cut back on meat consumption one day a week to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, and lessen the environmental impact of meat production on climate change, water and land use. The campaign is founded on research that demonstrates Monday is the day we are most primed to start and sustain a healthy new behavior. Since its launch on 2003, Meatless Monday has become an international movement in more than 40 countries with support from governments, schools, celebrities, restaurants, and local and global organizations.
