If you love plant-based food and work in the industry, you do not want to miss The Plant Base’s Taste Challenge! The Plant Base has announced its esteemed judges for the upcoming competition. We are thrilled to reveal that these experts are not only experienced in their respective fields, but they are also passionate about all things plant-based.
Plant-based enthusiasts should be sure to tune in and watch the full stream. It promises to be a captivating event with insightful discussions, practical demonstrations, impressive displays of culinary creativity and, of course, lots of tasting!
Chef Mike Colletti
Our first judge, Chef Mike Colletti, has become a pioneer of plant-based innovation, bringing his classical fine dining and Italian culinary background to the table to craft the plant-based fast foods of the future. In 2019, Chef Mike co-founded PLNT Burger and delivered a menu that featured classic comfort foods reimagined and reconstructed with plants. As an authority on plant-based products and the Director of Culinary Innovation at PLNT Burger, Chef Mike continues to shape the future and push the limits of plant-based deliciousness. PLNT burger now has 14 locations and is positioned to take over the world of planet-friendly, plant-based fast food.
Rebecca (aka Vegan Bodegacat)
Stepping out of their digital screen, our second judge Rebecca, more commonly known as Vegan Bodegacat on Instagram, is a NYC based food content creator focusing on vegan restaurants, recipes and hidden gems for affordable plant-based options. We spoke with Rebecca to find out what she is looking forward to seeing from this year’s challenge: “In the past few years particularly, vegan options have become more accessible and innovative than ever before and it’s been such a pleasure seeing the plant based food industry grow”.
She will be judging on the following criteria:
Market Need: Does this product fill a current hole in the plant based market and does it do it well?
Innovation: Does this product showcase a novel ingredient or technique application to produce an impressive texture, flavour, or nutritional profile?
Nutrition: Does this product merely mimic the taste/texture of a typically non-vegan product or does it provide protein, micronutrients, etc?
Taste/Texture: Would I be excited to show this product to a non-vegan? Or does something about its appearance/taste/texture make it something only an experienced vegan would eat?
Melissa Bradshaw
And last but not least is The Plant Base’s own editor, Melissa Bradshaw. In her role, she often finds herself fascinated by how the plant-based industry is evolving and adapting in line with wider food and beverage trends. To grab her attention, businesses must offer something truly unique and ahead of the game, whether that be a juicier-than-ever plant-based meat cut made with innovative new ingredients, or a branding strategy that encourages even the most carnivorous of consumers to give vegan food a try.
“I’ll be looking for sensory qualities – taste, texture, mouthfeel – that achieve both what the consumer wants and what the developer is aiming to deliver, whether that be mimicking a much-loved non-vegan product or delivering an entirely new, unique taste experience”.
The Plant Base is proud to have these amazing individuals on board, and we can’t wait to see what the competition holds. So, make sure to tune in and watch the full stream. This promises to be a captivating event that will leave you feeling inspired and empowered to take your plant-based game to the next level!
Make sure to check back on Thursday 7 September to watch the feature-length stream via The Plant Base’s website and social media accounts. For those joining us at Plant Base World Expo in New York, we look forward to trying and tasting your products!
#PlantBasedTasting #PlantBasedWorldExpo #NewYork #TasteChallenge #judges
