Last November, I had the pleasure of attending the first Grilled Cheese Grand Prix. I was lucky enough to score VIP tickets and eat some of the cheesiest creations in Seattle! You know I’m always up for a good food festival. This was one of the best food events I’ve attended. The Grilled Cheese Grand Prix returns to Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park from March 30th-31st, just in time to kick off National Grilled Cheese Month in April! I wanted to share my experience from last year to give you an idea of how fun it is!

What made this event different? I love free food events but they can get crowded. This event has a variety of ticket options ranging from VIP to booze only. Entry times are tapered to manage the flow of attendees. Even at peak times, most lines had 5 people and I saw one line with 10 people. Compare that to other events where you wait in a line of 30 people. No contest!

If craft beer, wine, or cider is your jam, this event has you covered! Last year, I had 10 tasting tokens and it was more than enough! This year, you can also use those beverage tokens for non-alcoholic drinks as well.

Aside from the food and beverage options, I got to visit a few new vendors and some of my favorites like Ballyhoo Hotsauce Co., Seattle Pickle Co., and Soda Jerk.

The Food

Last year, I made my rounds and ate way too much food! I love traditional grilled cheese, innovative creations, and everything in between!

Cheese Wizards – Goblin King, emmentaler swiss, monterey jack, new woman jerk cheese, cream cheese, roasted red peppers, wizard’s fire aioli (sriracha black pepper) and truffled fresh tomato.

Bread and Circuses – The Wizard Slayer, crispy chicken “waffle,” old fashioned spiced apple butter, jowl bacon, and Beecher’s Flagship.

Grilled Cheese Experience – The Marco Polo: gruyere and manchego, mixed with Beecher’s Flagship reserve and Marco Polo green and black peppercorn cheese, crusted with aged black truffle parmesan.

Carl’s Cutting Board – The Baron, Japanese style bread, cheese from Beecher’s and Sweden, European style ham, french mustard, and relish made of cabbage, apples, peaches and chilies.

Something Cheesy – Cookies and cream, French Italian bread, from the Bread Garden cream cheese, Nutella, marshmallow fluff, Oreo cookies.

Mangosteen – Flaming hot Cheetos cheese curds.

The Details

This is a great food event! Check out their Facebook page to see the food, drink, and sponsors that will be there. When buying tickets, be sure to read carefully. This event runs on Friday, March 30th and Saturday, March 31st, with tapered entry times, depending on which ticket you buy. Most sessions include food tokens but they have a booze only option.