Great Kentucky Seafood Cook Off  

June 9, 2008

 

Hot / Cold Seafood Competition:

 

The Kentucky seafood competition is an event in which competitors cook and present food to be judged on taste, execution of skills and presentation, and ease of preparation.   For the individual competition, food will be needed for 5-6 portions – four or five tasting portions and one display.

In an "open" competition, judges will taste the entry for judging. It is expected that chef competitors will dress in full professional chef's uniforms (white or colors ok).  Chef’s jackets may have a restaurant name or plain.

 

PROCEDURE:

Competitors will supply their tools, i.e., knives, cutters, pans and products/recipe ingredients, other than seafood, to prepare the recipe. Kentucky Aquaculture Association and Kentucky Department of Agriculture will supply one pound of the featured seafood.  Small appliances will be allowed to be brought in by competitors.

After submitting his or her recipes, each competitor must complete the assignment within the hour allotted cooking time. Each competitor is allotted a 5-10-minute window in which to serve all courses.

 

THE KITCHEN :

While all competitors may be working in the same kitchen, each will be provided with his or her own workstation, which will consist of an adequate worktable and a Vulcan range, grill and frying stations are available. Refrigeration, sink with running water and commercial oven(s), deep fryer(s) may be shared by competitors.  A safe and efficient working environment must be maintained.

 

Each competitor will have one hour to prepare 5-6 servings of a menu item. Of the 6 portions to be prepared:

* four or five are for judge tasting;

* one is for photos/critique/press/display;

 

The entry should be consumer friendly and easy to prepare for the at-home chef, demonstrate regional and national cooking techniques and, first and foremost, basic culinary preparation skills and sanitation skills.

 

 

The following preliminaries are to be completed before the competition.

1. Completed entry documents (intent to compete form & waiver of liability form) – fax back with

    signatures to 502-564-0303 by May 23, 2008

 

$100.00 registration fee written to “Kentucky Aquaculture Association” must be received by May 30th with original signed registration form.

 

2. Electronic (Word or Excel document), typed, 3 standardized seafood recipes for the entry, i.e., appetizer, soup or salad, entree.** recipes with first preference for preparation.

3. A digital (jpeg) color photograph of dish prepared if possible. **

4. A digital (jpeg) photograph of chef for website

5. A digital (jpeg) logo and picture of each chef’s restaurant and a copy of the current menu

 

Email recipes and pictures to angela.caporelli@ky.gov

 

** All photos and recipes become property of the Great Kentucky Seafood Cook Off competition for the sole purpose of promoting domestic seafood to the consumer.  Photos and recipes will be used on www.kyagr.com and press releases.

 

COMPETITION GUIDELINES

General Rules and Guidelines (Applicable to all competitors.):

 

* Competitors must provide recipes and all ingredients, except the seafood.

*Competitors are to provide copies of their recipes and photographs for the tasting judges.

* No advance 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 mire poix.

* Competitors are allowed to bring in only the whole and raw materials in the amounts stated in

  their recipes.

*No finished sauces are allowed; however, basic stocks (beef, veal, chicken, vegetable, or fish) may be brought in as necessary for the assignment. No clarified consommés are allowed.

* Competitors will bring his or her own tools, including small ware and plates, platters, bowls, etc. to display the finished dish.

 

COMPETITION SCORING:

As the judges critique a display/entry, points are awarded in several areas and averaged to yield a single score for the display/entry. Based on a possible 70 points, displays are awarded gold, silver, or bronze.

 

The scoring point scale is:

Gold  54-70 points

Silver 48-53.99 points

Bronze  42-47.99 points

 

* Service/Tasting Evaluation - (70 possible points)

10 points – Presentation and general impression

25 points – Creativity and practicality / ease of preparation

10 points – Composition / harmony of ingredients

10 points – Correct preparation / craftsmanship

15 points -- Flavor, Taste, Texture and Doneness

 

TASTING JUDGES EVALUATE...

Presentation, general impression & serving methods. Hot food is hot and cold food is cold (including plates). Food is fresh and colorful, visibly seasoned, presented with some height, easy to eat, and pleasing to the eye. Fish slices are even, straight, and evenly shingled. Items are closely placed together to help maintain temperature and keep the plate from resembling a smiling face.  Simple and practical, clean and careful serving with no fuss, no over-elaborate or impractical garnishing, plate and platter arrangement that makes for practical serving while maintaining a strong sense of the elegant.

Creativity and Practicality/Ease of Preparation. The dish shows a degree of difficulty and creative flair, rather than something copied and overused. If using an old or classical idea, new, creative ideas have been used to transform the dish. Degree of difficulty, artistic achievement, work involved, originality.

Composition & Harmony of ingredients. Ingredients are compatible. Ingredient colors harmonize. Ingredient amounts are correctly portioned to give a perfect harmonization.  Have any of the ingredients been duplicated? Taste and colors should enhance each other, display practical craftsmanship, and should be practical, digestible.

Correct Preparation and Craftsmanship. Classical names should correspond to original recipes and methods of preparation. Preparations must display mastery of basic skills.

Flavor, taste, texture, and doneness. The stated flavor in the menu and recipe are profound. Doneness and temperatures are correct. Stated vegetable cuts are correct. The stated cooking techniques have been applied correctly. The textures correspond to what was implied in the recipe. The flavor of the sauce or vinaigrette reflects what the recipe stated and is of the correct consistency. The correct degrees of caramelization have been shown. It tastes great.

The dish(es) portrays a high level of skill and exactness. The number of different skills employed throughout the menu distinguishes the caliber of the cook(s).

 

Sample Schedule (subject to minor change)

             

 

Check-in time/early set up	Start time (Staggered)	End time	Serving window ends	Judging	Awards
9am -9:30 am.	10 a.m.	11:00 p.m.	12:30 p.m.	11am-1 p.m.	1:30 p.m.

 

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR COMPETITORS & JUDGES

 

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR COMPETITORS AND JUDGES

The following list should provide a good beginning checklist of what is considered the most general guidelines for both competitors who are developing displays and for judges who will evaluate them.

* The criterion for judging all dishes is the recipe, with a brief description of ingredients and methods of preparations.

*More than one domestic seafood product may be used in the entry. (only KY Grown seafood)

  NO corporate branded seafood to be promoted (i.e. Trident Seafood, Phillips Crab Meat, etc…) Only Kentucky grown seafoods.

*Participants must supply their own ingredients for the competition, however KY seafood will be provided.

* Ingredients and garnishes should harmonize with the main part of the dish and conform to contemporary standards of nutritional values.

* Unnecessary ingredients should be avoided and practical, acceptable cooking methods should be applied.

* Dressing the rims of plates will result in an unacceptable appearance.

* Product juices should not make a dish look unappetizing.

* Vegetables must be cut or turned uniformly.

* Plate arrangement and decoration should be practical yet appealing and should comply with daily standards.

* Avoid all non-edible items.

* Food prepared hot should not be placed on buffet platters or mirrors.

* Plated portions must be proportional to the dish itself and the number of persons specified.

* Sauce boats should be only half full.

* In general, portion weight should be in keeping with the norms of accepted practice and nutritional balance.

* If fruit is used to garnish, it should be cut into small pieces or sliced thinly.

* All exhibits should be identified by their proper names both on exhibition tables and on entry forms.

* No identification of personal or business affiliation is allowed with the exhibits until the judging is completed.

* Finally, the punctual presentation of each exhibit at the appointed time is a matter of urgent necessity.

 

COMPETITORS SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON:

*Highlight Kentucky grown seafood product(s) that represent their plate best

* Originality -- new ideas

* Garnishes

* Practical portion size (cost considerations)

* Proper color, presentation and flavor combination

* Presenting a natural, appetizing look

* Properly cooked seafood

*Recipes that are Consumer Friendly

 

COMPETITORS SHOULD AVOID:

* Use of inedible materials

* Decorating with parsley, watercress

* Cluttering the platters

* Entering a previously judged piece

* Identifying your display prior to judging

* Serving of food on the rim of the platter

* Repetition in preparatory methods

* Excessive use of food coloring

* Use of plastic ornaments, flowers, etc.

* Use of tarnished silver

* Unsuitable serving dishes

* Presenting hot food on mirrors

 

 

 

 

COLD FOOD MAY BE DISPLAYED ON:

* Silver trays and platters

* Stainless steel

* Mirrors

* Formica

* Polished wood

* China plates

* Any other approved food surface

 

HOT FOOD MAY BE DISPLAYED ON:

* Lined copper dishes

* Stainless steel platters

* Earthenware dishes (oven proof)

* Dinner plates (china, porcelain, or ceramic)

* Imitation pewter

* Silver platters

* Glass containers

* Any non-porous surface