Mac and Cheese Festival comes to Rockville Centre

Hundreds of hungry Long Islanders gathered at the Tap Room in Rockville Centre on Saturday to take part in the cheesiest competition in New York.

The second annual New York Mac and Cheese Festival featured more than eight local restaurants and eating establishments going head-to-head in a battle for the best cheese dish.

Matt Kourie of the New York Best Wings Festival said that the inspiration came to him during one of their annual chicken wing competitions.

“I was like, man, you know, we’re dipping our wings in cheese,” Kourie said. “Everybody loves cheese. We got to do a cheese festival. So it just seemed like the thing to do and here we are at another great event with great people.”

The 44-year-old Oceanside native hosted the first-ever New York Mac and Cheese Festival last year at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh. He said his decision to switch the venue to Rockville Centre this year was a no brainer.

“In 2014, we did our very first wing festival,” he said. “Literally our whole legacy started here.”

Before becoming the Tap Room in 2021, the North Village Avenue mainstay was known as Cannon’s Blackthorn when the venue hosted the wing festival in 2014.

As fate would have it, Kourie would be back in RVC ten years later hosting the second annual New York Mac and Cheese Festival.

Hannah Mizrahi, the festival’s outreach coordinator, said that because of the impact that the pandemic had on the restaurant and hospitality industry, the company has been working to support local establishments across Long Island.

“We wanted to invigorate business on Long Island,” Mizrahi said, “especially here in Rockville Centre.”

During the competition, as hungry guests enjoyed sampling some of the tastiest, gooiest macaroni and cheese dishes around, three Long Island food influencers chose the top three picks for “Best Mac and Cheese of the Year.”

“It has to be creamy, but not too creamy,” said Bella Litrenta, a Long Island food influencer and one of the Mac and Cheese Festival judges. “And I don’t like bread crumbs on top.”

Will of Long Island Foodtastic said what he looks for is the texture. “It can’t be too mushy,” he said.

Smokin’ Stevie Ray’s BBQ won first prize for their smoked brisket macaroni and cheese dish. Created by brothers Steve and Dan, Stevie Ray’s is a food truck operation serving up traditional pit smoked barbecue across Long Island. Second prize went to the Tap Room and third prize went to Bluebird Kitchen in Bellemore. 

Attendees also got the chance to participate in the judging as well, bestowing the People’s Choice Award to Smokin’ Stevie Ray’s BBQ. The winner of the best quest went to Moe’s Southwest Grill in Oceanside and the winner of the best cheese dish went to Tepache Taste of Mexico in Valley Stream.

Kourie said that his next event, The New York Best Wings Festival, will take place on May 19 in Patchogue. For more information visit NYBestWingsFestival.com.