Food & Beverage

Virtual Chef Challenge: Meatless is on the menu

Watch three fast casual chefs create original meatless recipes.

September 10, 2020

Although consumers have been steadily embracing plant-based fare over the past couple of years, the pandemic has accelerated their desire for meat alternatives. Nielsen, for example, reported that meatless options were up 200% in the week ending April 18, compared with the same period last year.

That means restaurants need to up their plant-based games, which can be a daunting task for chefs not used to working with only plants. To "plant" a little inspiration, however, FastCasual partnered with Meatless Farm, a plant-based protein company founded in 2016, to create our latest video — The Virtual Chef Challenge — featuring three chefs showcasing original meatless recipes. Our chefs included:

• Kasim Hardaway, the head of Culinary R&D and marketing director for Cultivare Greens & Grains, in Kansas City.
• Janene Holig, the head chef and COO of Minnesota-based Hot Indian Foods.
• AJ McCloud of Tocaya Organica in California.

Hosted by yours truly (Cherryh Cansler, editor of FastCasual) and Mason Grassfield, the innovation manager of Meatless Farm, the show allows each chef to walk you through a recipe which you can make from your restaurant kitchen. If you do, feel free to tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the#VirtualChefChallenge.

We'd also love to see your original recipes, so don't be afraid to post your own videos with the same hashtag.

Happy cooking!