Peterborough Gets First-Ever Month-Long Mac and Cheese Festival

A childhood favourite meal is turning into a celebration as Peterborough is getting their first Mac and Cheese Festival announced on Tuesday.

Judges from the Pasta Shop, the Food Shop and the Toy Shop with participants in Tuesdays competition from the Peterborough Petes, Kawartha Food Share and Trent University. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Starting on Oct. 1, the self-guided festival will invite participants to dine in or order take-out from 18 local restaurants.

During the festival, restaurants will be competing for local votes to become the ‘Mac + Cheese Champion.’ Participants can vote online for their favourite mac and cheese dishes until Oct. 30.

The winning restaurant will receive bragging rights for the year, a cheesy hand-crafted trophy and a donation to Kawartha Food Share in the victor’s name.

“Yes, it’s a competition and of course some folks are in it for the glory- but for the most part, our 18 restaurant partners are just happy to help bring a little comfort back into the community,” said Hillary Flood Communications Manager, Peterborough DBIA. “I don’t think it gets any more comforting than mac and cheese.”

Leo Grourke, Trent University President, Sarah Khaki and Michael Khan, vice-president academic at Trent with their mac and cheese at the Silver Bean Cafe. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

The official launch party at the Silver Bean Café had three local organizations participate in a cook-off to give a sample of what people can expect in October.

The Peterborough Petes, Trent University and Kawartha Food Share each brought a crock-pot of the famed comfort food and were judged by local shop owners.

Kawartha Food Share placed first with their student-inspired mac and cheese with ingredients one might find in a student’s pantry.

In addition to serving mac and cheese, each restaurant location will host a month-long food drive in support of Kawartha Food Share. Festival goers are encouraged to bring their non-perishables downtown this October when visiting any mac and cheese restaurant location.

“We are so excited to partner with the DBIA and partake in the 2021 Mac and Cheese Festival. It’s been a very tough year for our food banks. We’re so thrilled to see so many local restaurants collecting food donations to help us restock the shelves at our 37 member agencies before the busy holiday season,” said Ashlee Aitken, Kawartha Food Share General Manager.

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