2008 Jersey Seafood Challenge

Coordinated by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the Garden State Seafood Association, Slow Food-New Jersey, Eat-Drink New Jersey, the New Jersey Restaurant Association, the New Jersey Chapters of the American Culinary Federation, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, New Jersey Sea Grant, and the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Academy of Culinary Arts
Atlantic Cape Community College
5100 Black Horse Pike
Mays Landing, NJ 08330
www.atlantic.edu

COMPETITION MANUAL

All information is subject to change and will be communicated upon revision.

The 2008 Jersey Seafood Challenge is an event in which competitors prepare and present dishes to be judged primarily on taste, execution of skills, presentation and ease of preparation.

Cooking Phase - Tuesday, January 15th: All chef competitors will showcase their exceptional culinary skills preparing four (4) entree portions of their signature dish focusing on Jersey Seafood to be served individually plated for the judges. This phase gives the chef the opportunity to showcase skills and creativity more customary of the foodservice industry. In addition to the signature dish, each competitor will create a new consumer focused platter for four (4). This “Down the Shore” Jersey Seafood platter will be showcased to show home food enthusiasts how to prepare a simple seafood dish to be served family style.

ENTRY MATERIALS
Prior to the event, the following items must be completed and returned by the noted deadline via e-mail (recipes & pictures) or regular mail. Competitors will be eliminated from consideration if all items are not submitted.

Completed Entry Documents are due as soon as possible, no later than November 28, 2007.
1. Chef's Intent to Compete Form to be submitted by the competitor
2. Competing chef’s head shot in color, as a digital, high-resolution file (jpeg preferred)
3. Competing chef’s bio as a Word document - used for press releases and other promotions
4. Recipe entry form shall include recipe ingredients and preparation instructions for:
a. a Chef’s Signature Jersey Seafood entree for four (4) portions
b. a “Down the Shore” Jersey Seafood platter to serve four (4)
5. Recipe Color Photography of:
a. Single plate of Chef Signature Jersey Seafood entree
b. “Down the Shore” Jersey Seafood platter
6. $30.00 Scholarship donation

All forms, photos and recipes become property of the NJDA for the sole purpose of promoting domestic, sustainable New Jersey Fresh seafood. Photos and recipes will be used in online promotions, print media, press releases etc.


COMPETITION RULES & GUIDELINES

INGREDIENTS & TOOLS
- All competitors must provide the whole and raw Jersey Seafood products in the amounts needed to prepare the required quantities for the submitted recipes entered.
- All competitors must provide all ingredients for the submitted recipes entered. No advance cooking or preparation is allowed. Vegetables can be peeled and salads may be cleaned and washed but not cut or shaped in any form; legumes may be presoaked.
- No clarified consommés are allowed.
- No finished sauces are allowed; however, basic stocks are permitted
- Competitors must bring their tools including small wares, knives, cutters, pans etc. to prepare recipes and plates and platters to present and display the finished dishes.
- Small appliances are allowed, but be brought in by competitors.

WORK STATIONS & KITCHEN AREAS
- While all competitors will be working in the kitchen areas, each will be provided with a work station which will consist of a stainless steel eight (8) foot table, six burner gas stove top, flat top, griddle, salamander and conventional oven, reach-in refrigeration, preparation sink with running water.
- Deep fryers, woks and freezer space will be shared by all competitors.
- No cutting boards, small equipment or utensils will be provided
- All competitors are responsible for cleaning and storage, set up and break down of all personal tools, small wares, plates and platters and cooking stations.

COMPETITION FORMAT
All entries should demonstrate regional and national cooking techniques and, first and foremost, basic culinary preparation skills and sanitation skills.

Each competitor will have two (2) hours to prepare:
- Four (4) individually plated servings of the pre-submitted Jersey Seafood signature dish. Of the four (4) portions of the signature dish to be prepared, 3 are for the judges tasting and one is for display, critique and photography.
- The “Down the Shore” platter, containing four (4) servings. Of the four portions to be prepared for the Down the Shore seafood platter, one will be plated for the judges for tasting. The “Down the Shore” platter should be consumer friendly as well as being easy to prepare for the home food enthusiast in a typical family designed and stocked kitchen and meal timeline.

After the two (2) hour cooking time limit, each competitor will have a ten (10) minute serving window. Start times will be staggered by 15 minutes, with the first competitor entering the kitchen at 8:00 AM. Prior to the start of the competition, each competitor will draw from the toque for starting time and culinary student assistant. The function of the culinary student assistant is to help with mise en place, storage, clean-up and plate presentation to the judges’ room.

Competition will take place from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The first competitor will work in the kitchen from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. The presentation window is 10:00 AM to 10:10 AM. The second competitor will work in the kitchen from 8:15 AM to 10:15 AM. This will continue until the time slot for the final competitor between 10:45 AM to 12:45 PM. The presentation window is 12:45 PM to 12:55PM.

There will be a one hour post-event reception in ACA's Careme's Restaurant

Critiques will take place between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

New Jersey Seafood Challenge Champion will be announced at 3:00 PM. The winning chef will represent the State of New Jersey in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans in August 2008.