Big Cheese Chef Challenge: Professional
Local restaurants serve special grilled cheese or mac and cheese creations through the festival period. Customers vote for their favourites. People's Choice Award announced March 27.
This event took place from February 27 to March 28, 2026.
The Big Cheese Chef Challenge, taking place February 27 to March 28, 2026, showcases professional chefs and their culinary creativity in Grilled Cheese and Mac and Cheese, celebrating local flavours and Canadian cheese. Each entry must feature at least one cheese using 100% Canadian milk.
Participating businesses display their entries on their menus for the duration of the event. Customers vote for their favourites in each category.
A Media Tour of 3 to 4 local media personalities visits participating restaurants to sample entries. The Media Choice winner is announced shortly after the tour. The People’s Choice Award is announced Friday, March 27 at 4:30 pm at Hassen Arena.
Confirmed entries for 2026 include The Clove with their Le Tabarnak French onion grilled cheese and Clove Clove Clove mac and cheese. [SOURCE NEEDED] for the complete list of participating restaurants.