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Coeur d'Alene, ID : March 30th - April 2nd, 2008 : The Coeur d'Alene Golf and Spa Resort

Cullinary Challenge

Culinary Challenge Fires Up!
To register for the competition, please contact Tom Siegel directly


Tom Siegel, CEC Executive Chef
The University of Montana Dining Services
University Center, Campus Drive
Missoula, Montana 59812
E-mail: TSiegel@mso.umt.edu
Phone: (406) 243-6173

To my fellow Culinary Professionals:

Ready set cook! Pans will be sizzling, knives will be sharpened and the heat turned up high as The Continental Region launches its Eighth Annual Culinary Challenge Cooking Competition. I am very excited to have you compete at North Idaho College in beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho next April 1, 2008. The winner of this competition will represent the Continental Region at the National Competition in Washington, D.C. in July. And Yes, I should also mention they will earn exclusive bragging rights as the Region’s Number-One-Top Competition Chef!

Overview of this year’s competition:

  • This will be an ACF Sanctioned K/9 Regional Taste/ Customized Competition.
  • This year’s mandatory ingredient to feature is 2-2 ½ pound striped bass.
  • The recipe must be for four portions of an original hot entrée.
  • The entrée, side dishes and sauces must create a nutritionally balanced plate.
  • The fish must be fabricated during the allotted cooking time to show knife skills.
  • The primary heat source for this competition will be two induction burners.
  • The time limit will be 75 minutes in total length: 5 minutes to set the station 60 minutes to cook and begin plate up 5 minutes for service window 5 minutes to clean up and exit station
  • Entries must be received by Sunday February 24, 2008.
  • For a complete set of rules and entry form contact Tom Siegel at tsiegel@mso.edu

So are you ready for some competition? Up for honing your best recipe? And do you have room on your mantel for a three foot tall trophy with your name on it? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to get cooking! I’m looking forward to seeing you in April ’08.

Sincerely,

Chef Tom

 

2008 NACUFS Continental Region Culinary Challenge Contest Rules

The NACUFS Culinary Challenge is sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), and is classified as an K/9 Regional Taste/Customized Competition. The following rules are identical to the NACUFS National Culinary Challenge. Specific reference to the regional competition has been inserted.

Individual competitors will have 60 minutes, with five additional minutes for plating to prepare four portions of an original hot entrée, featuring the mandatory ingredient of 2-2 ½ pound striped bass, with side dishes and sauces to create a nutritionally balance the plate.  Each plate should follow the nutritional guidelines listed below in the general rules.  The fish must be fabricated to show knife skills.  The primary heat source for this competition will be the two induction burners supplied. No additional heat source may be used during preparation.

 

GENERAL RULES AND GUIDELINES

  • The entrée recipe should be nutritionally balanced and follow these guidelines: Based on overall calories, no more than 30 percent of daily calories should come from fat; 50–60 percent of daily calories should come from carbohydrates; and 15–20 percent of calories should come from protein. A nutritional analysis is required.
  • The entrée recipe must feature the mandatory ingredient. The mandatory ingredient: Striped Bass, (A 2-2 ½ pound fish will be provided)
  • No advanced preparation or cooking is allowed.  Vegetables can be peeled and salads may be cleaned and washed but not cut or shaped in any form; beans may be pre-soaked. Exceptions are chopped herbs, shallots, garlic and mirepoix.  Each contestant will be allowed up to 30 minutes of preparation time before the competition to complete this task.
  • Competitors may also bring proteins pre-marinated, but will be required to demonstrate fabrication of protein and making of marinade during the allowed 60 minute cooking time. (Access to the kitchen the night before the competition will be available to allow marinating of the protein provided by the culinary challenge committee).
  • Competitors are allowed to bring in only the whole and raw materials in an unprepared state in the amount stated in their recipes. However, the judges may allow variances in amounts for products that require further preparation.  No finished sauces are allowed; however, basic vegetable stock may be brought in as necessary for the assignment.  No clarified consommés are allowed.
  • All competitors are required to pre-scale their recipes. The following ready-made dough may be brought in: puff pastry and filo dough.
  • Contestants will work unassisted by additional individuals. The kitchen coordinator will assign time slots.
  • Contestants must provide their own knives, smallware, additional cookware, and/or small appliances. All cookware must be induction burner compatible. No additional heat source may be used during preparation. Small appliances may not be used during 30 minute preparatory time.
  • Only the mandatory ingredient will be supplied by the challenge.
  • All other recipe ingredients are the responsibility of the contestant. All ingredients will be proctored and only those ingredients listed on the contestant’s recipe will be allowed for use. 

 

 

ELIGIBILITY

The NACUFS Culinary Challenge is open to the winners of the six regional culinary challenges. Regional competitions must be conducted in a similar manner to the National Culinary Challenge, using the same rules and judging criteria. Competitors represent the individuals regions.

  • Competitors' institutions must be NACUFS members in good standing.
  • Regional Culinary Challenges are open to all culinary professionals (chefs, cooks, and production personnel) employed at member schools. Individual competitors must have worked at the member institution for a minimum of six months, on a full-time basis. The member institution may have a self-operated, contracted, or co-sourced management system.
  • In the event a regional winner leaves his or her institution before the national competition and is employed by a member institution in the same region, he or she may represent that region and compete in the NACUFS Culinary Challenge.
  • In the event a regional winner leaves his or her institution before the national competition and is no longer employed by a member institution in the same region, the region will send its second place winner to compete in the NACUFS Culinary Challenge.
  • Members of the Culinary Challenge committee are not eligible to compete.
  • Culinary professionals on the staffs of committee members are eligible to compete.

 

ENTRIES

All entries must be submitted to the Regional Culinary Challenge representative listed below by the following closing dates.
           
Pacific Region -January 10, 2008 -James Cacciatore, jcaccia2@csulb.edu 
Continental Region -February 24, 2008 -Tom Seigel, tsiegel@mso.umt.edu
Southern Region -February 10, 2008 -TBA /Brian Varin, bvarin@uga.edu 
Mid-Atlantic Region -February 8, 2008 -John Walker III, jjw12@psu.edu
Northeast Region -February 2, 2008 -Martin Dudek, mdudek@holycross.edu            
Midwest Region -February 2, 2008 -Trey McCartt, Trey.mccartt@principia.edu                               

Late entries may have points deducted for each day late.

Each entry must include:

  • Culinary Challenge registration form
  • Original hot entrée recipe and recipes for side dishes and sauces, on Culinary Challenge recipe form (The recipe may be reviewed by the committee to ensure a consistent format.)
  • Nutritional analysis of recipes
  • Contestant's bio: maximum of 300 words of narrative, summarizing contestant's career highlights leading to the Culinary Challenge competition
  • Color Photo of the original signature dish
  • Contestant's photo
  • Text must be submitted in electronic format via Email to the Regional Challenge Committee on the official Culinary Challenge forms. Photo may be submitted electronically, or as hard copy and mailed via traceable mail (e.g. Fed-Ex, UPS, or the like.) Complete instructions will be e-mailed to the competitors from the Culinary Challenge Regional Committees.
  • Each recipe submitted to the national competition must bear a strong resemblance to the winning regional recipe. Small alterations for the entree will be allowed, providing the main ingredients are the same as those in the winning regional recipe. Alterations to the side dishes may be allowed but final copies of their recipes, including any alterations, be submitted no later than July 1, 2008.
  • If more entries are received for the Continental Region Culinary Challenge than the number of positions available for competitors the following method to allocate the available competition slots will be used.
    • Only one competitor will be chosen per school. A school may submit more than one person for consideration but will only be permitted to send their number one choice to compete if the region receives more qualified challengers than they have available slots.

 

    • If the region receives more entries than the total number of “slots” available, then each schools number 1 ranked competitor will go into a pool of names to which the following method will be used to award the available slots.
    • All eligible number 1ranked entries will be forwarded to the regional ACF approved competition judges.  This independent panel of judges will evaluate each entry and provide the Regional Culinary Challenge Committee with a list ranking each entry.  Available competition slots will be awarded according to this ranked list.  Alternates will also be selected based on the judges ranking. Should a selected competitor withdraw and a competitor slot becomes available it will be filled from the top of the ranking order.

 

    • In the event that the region has slots still available after allocating positions to each schools top ranking competitor, then all the entries from the school’s secondary list will forwarded to the panel of judges to be ranked in order to complete the field.
    • In order to be considered for this elite group, you must meet the following criteria:

 

      • 1. Your school must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the NACUFS Culinary Challenge Rules
      • 2. Applicant must have all required information (Culinary Challenge registration and recipe form) submitted to the Culinary Committee by the deadline entry.
      • 3. The recipe submitted must be in compliance with all rules outlined in the NACUFS Culinary Challenge Rules for 2007.

PRELIMINARY PROCEDURES

All contestants are required to attend a pre- and post-competition briefing, at times determined by the challenge committee.

COMPETITION

Contestants must wear the double-breasted white chef’s coat, pants and toque supplied by the challenge, and foodservice safety shoes. Athletic shoes are not allowed.

Each contestant must prepare four portions of an original entrée, with side dishes and sauces to balance the plate. The plate must also include two classical vegetable cuts.

10-inch white plates will be supplied by the challenge and can be used by the competitors, or alternatively, competitors are welcome to use plate(s) of the contestant’s choice, supplied by the contestant.  Three plates will be for tasting and evaluation and a forth plate will be for display and photography.

Each competition cooking station will be supplied with the following equipment:

  • 1 x 6-foot and 1 x 8-foot skirted tables set in an “L” shape with the 8-foot table being the front table
  • 1 x Full-size rectangle chaffer with two half pans
  • 2 x Single induction burners
  • 2 x Sauté pans, induction burner compatible
  • 2 x Large cutting boards
  • 4 x 10-inch white china plates (if required)
  • 1 x Trash container with liner
  • Assorted Miscellaneous - 2 x towels, container of water and cleaning supplies (including sanitizer), 1 x wet waste bucket.

 

Additional equipment may be supplied. Competitors will receive a list of such equipment from the Culinary Challenge committee.

The primary heat source for recipe preparation will be the induction burners supplied by the competition. Additionally, competitors may bring small appliances (such as food processors, immersion blenders, or blow torches) to assist in the preparation of the recipe during the competition time. In all cases, if a competitor brings any type of appliance, the use of it must be approved in advance of the competition by the Culinary Challenge committee.

Contestants will have a total of 75 minutes to compete:

  • 5 minutes to set the station
  • 60 minutes to cook and begin plate up
  • 5 minutes for service window (Competitors cannot serve the judges before the end of 60 minutes of cooking time – final plate up should not be done prior to the 60 minute cooking time)
  • 5 minutes clean up and exit station

Competitors will be penalized in scoring if either your food is not to the judges at the end of 65 minutes, if your dishes are plated up prior to the completion of the 60 minute of cooking time or you have not cleaned and exited your station at the end of 75 minutes.

Volunteers will be available to assist each competitor in cleaning and delivering plates to the judges. No other assistance is allowed.

Competition times will be staggered. Start times will be randomly assigned.

JUDGING

Three ACF-approved judges will judge the competitors, using a 40-points scale, as follows:

  • Organization: Total of 10 points
    • Sanitation (HACCP guidelines will be followed) 0–5 points
    • Utilization of ingredients and use of allotted time 0–5 points
  • Cooking skills, culinary technique, competition cuts: Total of 10 points
    • Creativity, skills, craftsmanship, and portion size 0–5 points
    • Skill and accuracy of competition cuts 0–5 points
  • Taste: Total of 20 points
    • Taste, texture, and doneness 0–10 points
    • Recipe compliance, ingredient compatibility,
      nutritional balance 0–5 points
    • Serving method and presentation 0–5 points

 

Contestants may lose points or be disqualified from the challenge for lack of compliance with contest rules.

Noncompliance may include, but is not limited to:

  • Use of copyrighted or unoriginal recipe
  • Lack of mise en place, or disorganization
  • Deviation from the recipe; lack of cooking integrity or ingredients that do not meet the guidelines as stated above
  • Inappropriate or unsafe food handling practices
  • Improper portion size
  • Violation of the uniform code
  • Inappropriate conduct or unethical behavior
  • Tardiness
  • Late submission and/or incomplete registration materials

 

Judges will offer individual critiques to contestants at the close of the competition.

The decisions of the judges are final.

Although we intend and strive for both the National and Regional competitions to be exactly the same some slight variations may arise at that National Competition due to different competition venue or other unforeseen circumstances. Although we can not eliminate all unforeseen issues we are committed to dealing with them in a professional manner to produce a fair and level playing field for all the competitors. The National Culinary Challenge Chairperson along with the lead judge of the competition has the reserved right of making final decisions on unresolved issues for what they believe to be the benefit of the competition.

PRIZES

  • The first place winner have the honor of representing the Continental region at the National Culinary Challenge in July and will receive a paid registration and up to $1000 to pay for air fare and hotel expenses to attend the National Conference. 

ACF medals will be awarded, based on the following point totals:

  • ACF Gold medal (36–40 points)
  • ACF Silver medal (32–35.99 points)
  • ACF Bronze medal (28–31.99 points)


All contestants will receive certificates of participation.

Awards will be presented at the regional conference. All winners will be announced on the NACUFS web site, through press releases, and in the post-conference edition of Campus Dining Today®.

OTHER

All recipes and photos entered into the Culinary Challenge become the property of NACUFS.

By entering, contestants grant permission to NACUFS to publish and/or use in any way the materials submitted, including the recipes and names and photos of competitors.

Permission to use of copyrighted materials, symbols, etc., must be verified with a copy of the permission from the copyright owner.

NACUFS shall not be liable or responsible for personal, college, or company equipment that is lost, stolen, or broken unless such equipment has been authorized in writing by the executive director for use in connection with association activities. (NACUFS P&P A-220.)