Cook-off Background | Be a Cook | Be a Judge | Prizes | Rules | Past Recipes | FAQ

COOKS

Q: Can I be a cook and a judge too?

A: If you're a cook, you MAY also be a Community Judge. Celebrity Judges are selected well in advance of the cook-off and may NOT also be contestants.

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Q: Can't this thing be rigged with Community Judges?

A: No, for lots of reasons. (1) Community Judges aren't determined until right before the judging occurs. There's no way to plan complete control. (2) If the accomplices wanted to make it seem real, they'd have to pony up a donation of $2 each. It would cost more to try to rig it than could be won in prize money. Each Community Judge's opinion counts for about 0.5% of an entry's total score. If one cook attempted to buy the competition, it would cost $300, and even then, only 20% of the score would be bought. (3) Community Judges will be instructed to pick FOUR favorites, and ballots with less votes than requested will not be counted. So even while supporting the attempted rigged winner, the vote-rigging accomplices would have to support 3 other dishes as well, which makes it impossible for a rig to succeed unless the Traditional Judges scored the dish very well to begin with.

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Q: I'm using Citrus and Celery in my recipe - can I compete in both divisions?

A: No. You will need to pick which one you think you'll have the best chance at winning. You may declare your division no later than the date on which recipes are due (10 days prior to the competition)

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Q: How much of my recipe do I need to bring?

A: It would be wise to bring enough to give samples to 54 people to make sure all judges get a try. You may also want to bring about 50 extra bites so the cooks and volunteers can try some as well. Please refer to our Serving Guidelines for recommendations.

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Q: Why do you charge an entry fee?

A: To help cover the costs of running the competition and to make sure you remember to show up. (TOPP members don't keep a dozen spare green tablecloths lying around, we have to get them special for the Cook-Off.)

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Q: Do I have to be present to win?

A: No, but local newspapers and magazines have taken pictures of the winners in the past, and it would be a shame for you to be missing.

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JUDGES

Q: How can I be a Celebrity Judge?

A: Become Mayor of Oviedo, President of the Chamber, Teacher of the Year at Oviedo or Hagerty High School, friends with the President of the Oviedo Historical Society, an Oviedo-based chef and caterer, or a person who is so well rounded that The Oviedo Preservation Project selects you as its designee.

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Q: I'm a Community Judge. What criteria am I suppose to use to judge entries?

A: Just pick your favorite 4. You'll have an opportunity to sample an entire division (either citrus OR celery), and to view the displays that the cooks put together. You can judge on whatever criteria you think makes for a good, representative entry.

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