America's Egg Farmers Issue TikTok #EggDishChallenge with Celebrity Chef & TV Host Chef Lovely to Help Local Restaurants Rebound from Pandemic

CHICAGO, June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation emerges from pandemic shutdowns and capacity limits, local restaurants around the country are getting an eggstra boost from a popular menu mainstay — the incredible egg — and a healthy dose of hometown competition. Igniting America's passion for eating out, the American Egg Board (AEB) has partnered with celebrity chef Connie Lovely Jackson, aka Chef Lovely, and influencers across the country to showcase eggceptional dishes at their favorite local restaurants on TikTok in the nation's first #EggDishChallenge. To further help local restaurants rebound, the AEB is donating $10,000 each to ten selected restaurants across the country.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8908151-american-egg-board-partners-chef-lovely-restaurants-pandemic-eggdishchallenge-initiative/

Now through Tuesday, July 6, noteworthy food influencers will create and share videos taken inside local restaurants, championing their pick for the best egg dish in their city and challenging their followers to do the same. Every restaurant tagged in a TikTok with the #EggDishChallenge hashtag will be entered for a chance to receive one of ten $10,000 donations to help that winning restaurant with post-pandemic improvements. Chef Lovely will help choose the top 10 deserving restaurants.

"I've connected with many people who spent the last year inside their homes trying new ways to cook up eggs, but it's time to get out! It is more important than ever to inspire diners to safely return to their local restaurants and celebrate the incredible creations on those menus," said Chef Lovely. "I'm eggcited to team up with America's egg farmers on this TikTok challenge to get Americans back into restaurants and try some new, lovely egg dishes they may not be able to create in their own kitchens."

Restaurants were one of the hardest hit industries throughout the pandemic and consumers are looking for new ways to help restaurants recover. In a recent nationwide survey*, 76% of Americans surveyed said they'd take drastic or reasonable measures to help their favorite local restaurant stay in business after the pandemic ends, ranging from buying breakfast for their entire neighborhood to eating out with a friend once a month. The same survey also notes that one in four Americans is eating more eggs since the pandemic started — that number is even higher for those 18-54 years old (29%, vs. 19% among those 55 and older) — providing additional opportunities for restaurants to make eggs a part of their rebound.

The survey also revealed some surprising findings on how restaurant goers are enjoying their eggs across the country, including:

• Of adventurous eaters who tried one of the tested egg dishes in the last year, nearly half (45%) tried huevos rancheros, a quarter (24%) tried chilaquiles and roughly 1 in 5 each have tried tortilla Espanola (21%) or bibimbap (18%).
• Among the egg dishes tested, omelets (50%) are what Americans are most likely to order when eating out, with breakfast tacos (23%), Benedicts (21%), egg salad sandwiches (19%), Mexican skillets (19%) and cobb salads (18%) rounding out the top six.
• Women are more likely than men to order healthier egg dishes, including avocado toast (17% vs 11%) and a cobb salad (22% vs 14%); and men are more likely than women to order a breakfast pizza (16% vs 10%) and a fried egg burger (18% vs 12%).
• Tastebuds differ regionally! Houstonians order more likely to order breakfast tacos while eating out (48%) than people in other cities, while New Yorkers order an egg salad sandwich 10 percentage points more than the national average (29% vs a 19% national average).
• Los Angeles and Minneapolis have the most adventurous eaters, and egg eaters or cookers in both cities (27% and 28% vs 20% nationally) are more likely to say their favorite restaurant prepares eggs better than they do at home.
• More than a third (37%) of Seattleites who eat or cook eggs say "put an egg on it!" when ordering ramen, believing the dish is made better topped with an egg.

"Now that the country is reopening, it's time to support our local restaurants in their great comeback. Whether you're ordering classic favorites like the omelet or eggs Benedict, perfectly pairing an egg on a salad or burger, or trying a new-to-you dish like a bibimbap or tortillas Española, there are countless ways to love eggs at your local restaurants," said Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board. "The only thing better than enjoying an incredible egg dish while dining out is knowing you're helping America's restaurants at the same time. We can't wait to see what these influencers and their followers are ordering and to uncover the best egg dishes across America!"

To follow along with the challenge, view the #EggDishChallenge hashtag on TikTok.

For more information on additional ways the AEB is supporting local restaurants in the post-pandemic recovery, visit IncredibleEgg.org.

About Connie Lovely Jackson 'Chef Lovely' @cheflovely:
Connie Lovely Jackson, aka Chef Lovely, is a Celebrity Chef and TV Host of "Lovely Bites" on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. In her hometown of Chicago, Chef Lovely earned an AAS degree in Culinary Arts, a certificate in Professional Baking and Pastries, and a bachelor's degree in Culinary Management all from the Illinois Institute of Art Chicago. Staging and working in fine dining, catering and hotels, Chef Lovely sharpened her skills as a chef, leader and entrepreneur. At the age of 21, she became an Executive Chef at a nonprofit organization that instructed culinary arts to children and adults throughout the Chicagoland area at schools, firehouses, family resource centers and more. For the past 14 years, Chef Lovely has shared her passion for food through culinary instruction, including on her TikTok account @cheflovely. Chef Lovely held principal roles on Food Network's "Food Network Star," FOX TV's "Hell's Kitchen" and NBC's "Food Fighters." She has also made appearances on ABC's "The Chew," Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family" and many more.

About the American Egg Board (AEB)  
Home of The Incredible Egg, the American Egg Board (AEB) is the national marketing organization of America's egg farmers. The AEB's mission is to increase demand for eggs and egg products through research, education and promotion. The AEB is located in Chicago, Ill. For more, visit IncredibleEgg.org. 

* The American Egg Board partnered with research firm YouGov to survey 1,454 nationally representative US adults, ages 18+, through YouGov's omnibus. The survey was fielded online from June 2-3, 2021, with a margin of error of +/- 3% at 95% confidence.

SOURCE American Egg Board