1. Each team must make four dishes that star the secret ingredient, and must present six small servings of each dish. Remember: The ingredient is agreed upon a month in advance, and recipes (and advance testing) are allowed.
2. Judging is based on taste (10 points), plating (5 points), and originality (5 points).
3. Each team gets 1 hour of prep time and 1 hour of cook time, both done at the host house on the day of the game. The team that goes first has to clean as they go so that there isn't too much pause between sets. Each team is responsible for their own clean-up. The reigning champs get to choose their time slot.
4. Teams can start planning the menu as soon as the ingredient is set. The ingredient must be agreed upon by both teams and cannot be changed later.
5. Anything that cannot be made from scratch within the two-hour time frame may be purchased (i.e. stock, ice cream) but the team must reveal to the judges the items that were not handmade.
6. We operate with a spending cap of $100 per team. Generally, teams give the host their shopping list one week before the battle, and groceries are ordered online. Specialty ingredients can be bought elsewhere. Teams can also feel free to ask about equipment and serving ware in advance, but should plan to bring disposable plates and bowls on which to present their dishes.
7. Both teams need to set their menus in advance, and bring printouts of their menus so that the judges can look at them when scoring at the end. We will also provide scorecards for the judges.
8. The opposing team will be asked not to comment on the dishes in any way.
9. The opposing team will also record the comments and photograph each dish.
10. Ties will be judged thusly: The team with the highest-scoring dish wins!
Some Common Questions
- Can we cook anything at home and bring it with us? No, never.
- Can we only prep in the first hour and only cook in the second hour? You can use the two hours any way you like.
- Do we have to have everything plated and ready to go out the door the minute the two hours are up? Sort of. We know that you don't want to serve cold food. Therefore, we suggest you start serving a little bit early. This way, the extra time can be used later to put the finishing touches on and plate your dishes. We hear the TV show fudges this one a little, too.
- Do we have to save receipts to prove we came in under the $100 cap? In general, no. We use the honor system, and we think most people stay well under the cap. However, if your dishes include expensive items (truffles, caviar, Champagne, foie gras) then please do bring your receipts to the game.
- Do we have to bring menus? Yes. They are something you hold on to until the end, and you only pass them out if the judges request them when they are tallying. (We don't pass them out earlier because we don't want to spoil the surprises.)
- Do I have to answer judges' questions about what's in a dish? Yes, you have to answer any questions about ingredients and prep honestly and fully during the course of the battle—no exceptions. All judges have a right to know what they are eating, how it was cooked, and whether anything (dough, stock, ice cream, etc.) was purchased.
Contact
For more information, please contact sherrinyc at gmail dot com.
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