Things You'll Need:
- number cards
- invitations
- ribbons
- gift baskets
- food table
- judges table
- judges sheets
- pens
- camera
- chef's hat
-
Step 1
Choose a category for the cook off, decide the parameters. You can choose by letter; everything made for the cook off should start with the letter B and everyone needs to make a dish starting with the letter B (burgers, beer battered shrimp, etc.). Or you can choose an actual food product; everyone needs to make a carrot dish.
-
Step 2
Send out the invitations. These can be fun typed pages outlining the event. Be sure to include the date, time, place and the cook off parameters (the category). Add some whimsy to the pages with clipart or cover the background in recipes.
Also request three people for judges. These people will not make a dish, only eat and announce the winner (s). -
Step 3
Set up the location. You will need a table where everyone can place their dishes and a table for judges. I recommend three judges so there are no ties.
-
Step 4
When placing the dishes on the table, be sure to assign a number card to each dish. This will allow you to identify the dish without naming the chef. We don't want favoritism clouding the judgement.
-
Step 5
Once everyone is present and has a number assigned to their dish, seat the three judges and begin presenting the food.
-
Step 6
The judges should have their judging sheets in front of them and score the dishes on scales of 1-10 marking appearance, originality and taste.
-
Step 7
Once all of the dishes have been judged, the scores are tallied and the winner (s) is announced.
-
Step 8
The winner is awarded a gift basket of helpful cooking tools and a ribbon. Make it fun by adding a chef's hat and taking a picture of the winner.
-
Step 9
Make a compilation of the winner's pictures and recipes in a binder for nice Christmas gifts to all of the participants.
