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Step 1
Establish a tie to the culinary world. Most judges for cooking contests have some experience with food. To establish your connection consider working as a chef, attending culinary school or teaching cooking classes at a community center in your spare time.
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Step 2
Network with cooking contest organizers. Just as many people use networking to get a job, you can use networking to become a judge for a cooking contest. Put out information to your friends and acquaintances about wanting to serve as a cooking contest judge. You may find that someone knows of a contest where you could serve, or they may be able to connect you with a contest organizer.
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Step 3
Start small. While you may have the desire to become a household name, most judges for cooking contests start at the local level. Look around for opportunities in your community. Community cooking classes, festival cooking events and 4-H clubs that teach cooking are always looking for judges. Becoming known for judging cooking contests at your local level can often lead to opportunities to judge at the sate level, which you can build on to judge at an even higher level, if desired.
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Step 4
Jump at last-minute opportunities. Sometimes the opportunity to become a judge for a cooking contest will come at the last minute. Be flexible and willing to fill in at the last minute if another judge backs out.
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Step 5
Organize your own contest. If you can't find anywhere you can serve as a judge, start your own cooking contest. This should be the last resort, however, since it can require a lot of time and money simply to fulfill your wish of serving as a judge for a cooking contest.
