On Wednesday, May 7, seventeen local restaurants, caterers, food trucks, and eateries set up at Steamboat Landing to answer the question: Who makes the best mac and cheese in Tompkins County? Attendees roamed the venue, sampling inventive takes on the classic dish before casting their votes across five categories: Best Meat Mac, Best Non-Meat Mac, Best Alternative Mac, Most Creative Mac, and Kids’ Choice Mac.
This event, known as the Mac ‘N Cheese Bowl, is an annual event hosted by Foodnet Meals on Wheels, an organization that provides nearly seven hundred meals to nearly five hundred older adults and people in need throughout Tompkins County. Proceeds from the Bowl support Foodnet’s mission to combat food insecurity by offering nutritious meals, wellness checks, and a reliable lifeline to those striving to live independently.
This year’s winners reflected a rich blend of culinary innovation and local talent. The Tompkins Cortland Community College Culinary Arts program claimed the prize for Best Meat Mac with their kimchi mac, which was topped with crispy pork belly. Silo Food Truck took home two prizes—Best Non-Meat Mac and Most Creative Mac—for their mac topped with tangy dill pickles. GreenStar earned the title of Best Alternative Mac with a vibrant vegan creation adorned with vegetables from all the colors of the rainbow. Foodnet Meals on Wheels was voted the Kids’ Choice winner.
The Mac ‘N Cheese Bowl was a vibrant celebration of community, creativity, and culinary excellence. From bold new flavors to reimagined classics, participants showcased not only their skill but also their passion for bringing people together one bite at a time.
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