![O town macdown](https://knopkazmeya.com/3.jpg)
But that was a small speed bump in a fun event that also made a statement about the great variety and quality of vegan foods in Philly. There were also plenty of raffle prizes, maybe one or two too many, as the calling out of ticket numbers finally became a little repetitive as we were waiting to see who had won. She also won a certain amount of audience favor by topping everyone off with some of her signature vegan creme brulee that was donated by The Plough and The Stars. If there had been an art award comprising presentation and costumes (you'll have to forgive me if I have the Kinetic Sculpture Race on my mind this week) it would likely have gone to Vegan Chef Lenka, who carried a "sailing" theme to the utmost with samples in little paper boats arranged on a beach, and who spent the event in a sailor's outfit.
![o town macdown o town macdown](https://live.staticflickr.com/3841/15060065441_32a7ddb7d1_n.jpg)
Most Original was It's Not Easy Being Green, which featured green beans along with crispy onions and mushrooms. People's Choice, which attendees voted on after trying one or two or three samples from each of the contestants, went to the Plant Power Couple (Brittany & Terrence Roche), who proffered a very tasty coconut-bacon-infused dish that also had coconut bacon bits for topping (more on that in this Thursday's V for Veg). When the judges had tried all of them and deliberated very deliberately, the champion was LJ Steinig, known to social-media vegans as VeganliciousLJ, who said she had veganized her mother's recipe, and who seemed as surprised as anybody that all her "smack talk" about wiping the floor with the other contestants turned out to come true.
![o town macdown o town macdown](https://live.staticflickr.com/5568/14876547597_48000853c1_b.jpg)
Nine contestants offered attendees singular takes on vegan macaroni and cheese, along with a bonus helping from Miss Rachel's Pantry, and both the quality and the variety were remarkable.
![o town macdown o town macdown](https://media1.fdncms.com/orlando/imager/u/slideshow/2517441/gal_o-town_macdown_credit_vancouver_bites_.jpg)
#O TOWN MACDOWN MAC#
The Rotunda was the perfect venue for Philly's first vegan macaroni-and-cheese competition, " The Philly MAC-Down - Best Vegan Mac & Cheese in the City," if only because a lot of us walked out of there more rotund than when we came in.
![O town macdown](https://knopkazmeya.com/3.jpg)