If you have been out to eat in the Champaign-Urbana area during April, you may have noticed blue-and-white placards and signage indicating vegan food options. While seemingly appearing out of nowhere, they are not without purpose.
Throughout April, the C-U area is participating in the Vegan Chef Challenge, organized by Vegan Outreach. Occurring mostly in medium-sized cities across the United States, the Vegan Chef Challenge aims to diversify vegan food options in these areas.
For a restaurant to enter the challenge, it must add three new vegan specials to its menu for the month to encourage a diverse range of food options for patrons. Restaurant goers are then encouraged to rate the food.
Any restaurant can participate in the challenge; all they have to do is fill out an interest form and let their cooking do the talking.
Austin Simmons, organizer of the Vegan Chef Challenge in Illinois, said that this is the third year of Champaign’s involvement in the challenge, with a record-breaking 29 restaurants participating.
Simmons emphasizes the importance of the contest in expanding options for vegans to minimize the stress that may come with eating out with friends and family. Especially in areas where these foods may be scarce.
By focusing on smaller cities, such as Peoria and Springfield, Simmons feels that the outcome is bigger.
“A lot of people are very receptive,” Simmons said. “And a lot of people want more vegan food. But it’s just very limited on what there is, especially before we started doing these events. So by really hitting these diverse but usually mid-size places, we’re really spreading that outreach, and we’re getting vegan food to people in places that really are lacking in good options.”
Simmons further said how “good” options are more than just offering salad bars for vegans. To him, it’s about providing delicious, high-quality and innovative food with the same amount of attention as any other item on the menu.
Simmons particularly draws attention to the oyster mushroom “chicken” & waffles offered by Neil St. Blues and the vegan avocado nachos at Siam Terrace.
“You’re just not going to find (these vegan foods) without the Vegan Chef Challenge,” Simmons said.
This challenge, while benefiting vegans, expands to people beyond that demographic.
Joel Burden, chef and owner of the Lazy Daisy Diner + Cafe, understands the importance of offering vegan items to its patrons, but also finds enjoyment coming up with new menu items.
Burden opened his restaurant in 2025. This is his first time participating in the challenge.
“I think it’s an opportunity to show off some skills,” Burden said. “It does make it a little bit of a challenge to do something really fun without animal proteins.”
Burden specifically points to Lazy Daisy’s vegan kkanpoong tofu and its mushroom gravy as some delicious vegan alternatives that don’t compromise in taste.
Owner of Siam Terrace, Ratana Darawankul, participated in the Vegan Chef Challenge when it first began three years ago. She said that what continues her involvement in the challenge is how fun it is and seeing both new and old customers try new vegan dishes.
“Nowadays, customers have a lot of choices to eat,” Darawankul said. “Especially in the Champaign area. … We want to be another choice for them, for vegetarian or vegan customers, so they can enjoy eating out with friends and family.”
Darawankul thinks the challenge is a great way to give more options to everyone. She said that Siam Terrace’s vegan avocado nachos are a fan favorite that customers are asking to be on the menu permanently.
While the challenge aims to eliminate the stress that can come with going out to eat as a vegan, a common theme that appears from this challenge is that these food options aren’t only for vegans — they are for everyone.
“It’s really open to everyone,” Simmons said. “Some people say, ‘Oh, I’m not vegan.’ That’s perfectly fine; none of the chefs are vegan. Give it a try … treat it just like you’re just trying anything else.”
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