Austin, U.S.A. — After months of fierce competition to narrow down the finalists from 300 original contestants, Whole Foods Market’s top three meat cutters are going head-to-head to crown the company’s Best Butcher at Meatopia, the nation’s largest festival of all things meat, September 8 in New York City. Tickets are available at meatopia.org.

The annual contest celebrates traditional butchery and recognizes the company’s most accomplished meat cutters. The finalists are:

• John “Kabali” Kalabolas (West Coast champion from the Northern California region)
• Andy “The Animal” Alcorn (Central U.S. champion from the Rocky Mountain region)
• Armand “The Arm” Ferrante (East Coast Champion from the Northeast region)

Some 3,000 attendees will watch two rounds of cutting competitions and a final round to test finalists’ creativity. Each will invent an entirely new cut of meat – a steak, chop or roast the world has never seen before. The winner enjoys bragging rights, and their cut placed in Whole Foods Market stores nationwide, starting September 15.

Whole Foods Market and Thrillist, the free daily email that sifts through the junk to find the best of what’s new in your ‘hood, are sending a lucky winner to Meatopia to witness the contest. The grand prize includes airfare for two, hotel accommodations, and early access to Meatopia. Meat lovers can enter online by August 5.

“Our butchers spend years and even complete apprenticeship programs cultivating their skills; this contest is our way of recognizing their accomplishments,” said Theo Weening, Global Meat Buyer for Whole Foods Market.

This event highlights the company’s meat quality standards: no antibiotics, no added hormones*, and no animal byproducts in feed. Plus, all of the beef, pork and chicken sold at Whole Foods Market comes from farms certified to the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating™ program.

“Meatopia honors all aspects of meat, so butchery is an essential element of the event. Since Whole Foods Market has the country’s greatest network of master butchers, and an unrivalled commitment to humane, healthy meat, they were our first choice for a partner,” said event founder Josh Ozersky.

Image Courtesy of   Whole Foods Market

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Vegetarian Baked Ziti is one of my favorite dishes to make. It is a delicious and filling pasta dish that goes well with cheese and garlic biscuits. Vegetarian Baked Ziti replaces real meat with soy imitation meat and uses vegetarian cheese that contains no rennet or animal enzymes.

I use Boca ground crumbles, which can be found at most grocery stores. Whole Foods’ 365 brand cheese specifies that it is vegetarian, unlike most cheese brands, even if they contain no animal enzymes or rennet. It is a great alternative to the original, non-vegetarian version.

The ingredients needed for this recipe are:

• 1 pound of dry ziti pasta
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pound of Boca ground crumbles (or other brand of fake meat soy crumbles)
• 2 jars of spaghetti sauce (26 oz.)
• 6 oz. of sliced Provolone cheese
• 6 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 ½ cups of sour cream
• 2 tbsp. of grated Parmesan cheese

First, lightly salt a large pot of water, and bring to a boil. Pour in the ziti pasta, cook until al dente for about eight minutes, then drain. In a large skillet, mix the onion and soy crumbles together and brown over medium heat. Then, add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and butter a 9×13” baking dish. Then, layer as follows: one half of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, one half of the spaghetti sauce, the rest of the ziti, mozzarella cheese, then add the rest of the remaining spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake this dish for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Pull out of oven when done, let cool, then enjoy! The preparation time for this meal takes about 20 minutes. The cook time will take 35 minutes, and it will yield about 10 servings.

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