Watch out Top Chef, there’s a new cooking competition in town and this one is cruelty free!

Veggie Conquest is New York’s newest cooking challenge and right now you can enroll to be a contestant, a taster (what a great job!) or a judge for the monthly events.  Get ready, the first challenge takes place on Saturday, August 22, 2009 in Chelsea, Manhattan.  And boy, they have some pretty awesome judges for the challenges debut.  Judges will include blogger and fashion guru Joshua Katcher (TheDiscerningBrute.com); food blogger and author Kathy Patalsky (LunchBoxBunch.com); and food stylist and author Brian Preston-Campbell (Preston-Campbell.com).  Three folks that really know vegan food.

Okay, so here is how it works.  Contestants prepare a vegan dish (at home), based on a secret ingredient and rules provided by Veggie Conquest.  Then the dishes are presented before a panel of judges and tasters to decide who wins.  There’s even a prize for the winner.  Sweet!

Veggie Conquest is also seeking food-industry professionals to teach vegan cooking classes between challenges, so be sure to check out the website for more information.  Tickets to the event range from free (yay!) to $15 and are available on the website.  And you know what else?  I read that it’s a BYOB affair.  I think vegan food and BYOB sounds like one hell of a good time.  Who wants to go?

For more information, images or to set up an interview with founder Jessica Mahady, email [email protected].

You can also find out more information by clicking here.