Winners of the 2024 Edgy Veg Awards have been finalised!
More than 650 votes were collated to determine the winning café – Social Foundry in Kyneton, and the winning restaurant – Flying Pigeon in Gisborne.
The Social Foundry tantalised tastebuds across town with their Wild Mushrooms dish. It took mushrooms to a new level with the addition of truffle oil and porcini dust.
“We sold a lot of the mushroom dish over the awards,” manager Jess said.
Flying Pigeon flew high with many five-star reviews of their dish, XO Beans. It was a symphony of flavours, described as crunchy and crispy green beans wok tossed with sweet, smoky savoury vegan XO paste.
Chef and co-owner Stephanie Rocard said they wanted to encourage people who weren’t vegan or vegetarian to have more veggies.
“A lot of people had a bad experience in their youth with vegetables not being cooked properly,” Stephanie said.
“We start with our son… we create something my son would like.”
Stephanie and her husband Stephen know that if kids happily eat the veggie dish, adults will eat it too.
The Edgy Veg Awards aim to promote more people eating more veggies by getting local eateries to put a plant-based meal front and centre of the menu. Both Social Foundry and Flying Pigeon will keep their winning dishes on the menu for a while longer, so get down and try these if you haven’t already.
Congratulations also to runners up in the café category The Corner Boutique Café and wine bar 600 Above; and the restaurant category runners up Fook Shing and Sizzler Restobar.
The Edgy Veg Awards are supported by Macedon Ranges Shire Council and Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group and run during the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival.
