Kenny Kincaid is back at it again on America Loves Food, your favorite TV cooking competition. In this one-act opera, we welcome three competitors, Ivy, Kendra, and Álvaro, as they compete to make America's favorite comfort food, Mac ‘n’ Cheese. As three contestants vie for the top prize, some truths are revealed about themselves and this country’s relationship between food and history.

The Cook-Off marks the fourth full length opera commissioned by the Vanguard Emerging Composer Residency. Pauline is singing the role of Beryl Bennett, an illustrious Scottish international food critic and writer who will be judging the cooking competition.