Applications must be signed by the Chief Cook and must mail a check in the amount of the Entry fee and equipment rental. An application must be accepted, and fee must be paid for each team/dish entered in the contest.
A COOK TEAM shall be comprised of no more than three members: One Chief Cook and two assistants.
$100.00 for a 2 person team, $120.00 for 3 person team.
Please send a 3” x 5” card with the following information. AS WELL AS EMAIL for future contact to [email protected]
TEAM NAME
TEAM MEMBERS
T-shirt sizes
Special request ( if you want to be next to another team, size requirements, ADA needs, or other opportunities)
TEAMS HOME TOWN INFORMATION STATE AND CITY
DISH INFO or IDEAS
Make checks payable to: Squirrel Cook Off
Mail application and fees to:
Squirrel cook off
10305 Little Spavinaw Road
Gravette Arkansas 72736
All contestants agree to indemnify and hold Squirrel Cook off, Benton County Quail Barn, Joseph B Wilson. and its employees, agents and volunteers, harmless from any and all claims made against the same, including without limitations, all costs, liabilities, judgments, expenses, damages, and attorney’s fees arising out of or in connection with (1) any structure erected by contestant, (2) any apparatus, equipment or
personal property used by contestant, (3) any act or omission to act of any contestant, its agent, invitees, participants, representatives, employees and servant, and (4) any claims made on account of or resulting from any contestant’s participation in the contest.
I. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. Wild game is defined as the meat of a non-domesticated animal. All wild game must have been legally killed. The Sale or offering for sale of any wild game is illegal and strictly prohibited. The Chief Cook for each team will be required to show the meat is in safe condition and kept at 40 degrees or colder.
2. Squirrels must be cooked on site. Any type of cooking device and fuel may be used. All fires must be contained in a grill, smoker or other similar device. ENCLOSED fires on the ground are permitted.
Meat may NOT be marinated prior to inspection and must still be in a form that is recognizable as wild game until the start of the competition. Any ground wild game to be used for chili, etc., must be ground after the start of the competition. All booths, teams and meat will be inspected @ 8:30 am. If the Squirrel is not present and ready for inspection when requested, or if the meat is not recognizable as Squirrel, that team will not be judged or allowed to compete.
If you have any question as to whether the meat will be recognizable as Squirrel, please contact us prior to the event.
3. Plan to provide samples to at least 6 judges; small bite size samples for members of the public are recommended, but not required. You are not required to provide the same cut of meat, or dish, to the public that you provide to the judges. Other Ingredients may be included in the Squirrel dish, as long as the MEATis predominantly Squirrel (80%) and is prepared on site. Therefore, stews, chili, casseroles, etc. are not excluded, provided they meet the above requirements. Non-Squirrel side dishes, sauces, etc. may be prepared using whatever the team chooses. However, additional consideration will be given for Side dishes prepared with Squirrel.
Time of event is 9:00 am. The cooking period will be 3 hours(time of cook differs with draw of turn in). This is the total time to chop, cook, prepare and plate your entrée and Side dish. Judging will begin at 12:00 pm. Scoring by the judges will be on taste, appearance, use of Squirrel, and unique use of squirrel. Side dishes will be judged on taste, appearance and pairing to entrée. Extra consideration will be given to side dishes using squirrel as an ingredient. Side dish could be anything—bread, dessert, soups, rice, ice cream, or other.
4. Each contestant shall supply all of his/her own Squirrel, fuel, cooking ingredients, cooking devices, utensils, serving dishes (for public, if needed) and tables. The contestants will be provided a cooking area, necessary sanitary facilities, along with judging food containers.
All contestants must adhere to all electrical, fire and other codes of Benton County, State of Arkansas and the United States of America. A team identification sign must be displayed in your cooking area. Since this is an outdoor event, rain or shine. It is suggested that you bring suitable shelter, as weather may require.
5. Team set up time: 6:00 am – 8:00 am
All deliveries of equipment, stoves, supplies and other paraphernalia must arrive within the setup time. Each team must have an appropriate fire extinguisher within their cooking area, which could be an ABC type or K type for deep frying.
After 8:00 am: NO VEHICLES will be allowed within the contest area. Parking suggestions available upon request.
Vehicles will be allowed in contest area at the end of the cook off approx. 4:00pm (As announced by event staff).
All liability/risk for items left in the cooking area Friday night shall be assumed by the contestants. The Cook-off Committee, Squirrel Cook Off, Benton County Quail Barn. and associated support disclaim any liability for any items left in the cooking area.
6. The Chief Cook will be responsible for the conduct of team and guests. Please remember you represent your team, company, business organization, your community and ours.
7. The Chief Cook may have no more than 1 or 2 assistants or Co-cooks. A MAXIMUM OF 3 PERSONS SHALL CONSTITUTE A COOKING TEAM.
8. Each applicant must comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Arkansas Department of Health and the Benton County Health Dept.
including, but not limited to, the following:
a. Meat must be stored at 40 degrees or less before cooking. Coolers with ice will be sufficient.
b. After cooking, the meat must be maintained at 140 degrees or above in a covered container.
c. Cleanliness of the cook, assistants, and the contestant’s area is required.
d. No live animals are allowed in the cooking area.
9. Each team must check in at the registration area and will receive their cooking area assignment at that time.
10. There will be a Chief Cook’s Meeting at the Judging Area on site prior to the meat inspection on Saturday, September 21, 2019. If a team does not have a representative at the Chief Cook’s Meeting, that team will be allowed to compete; however, that team will be responsible for meeting any requirements or changes announced at the Chief Cook’s Meeting.
11. No open alcoholic containers areto be seen. ( this may change if we have a vendor of alcohol)
12. Cooking area must be left as you found it. Police your area please.
II. JUDGING SYSTEM:
1. Judging will begin at 12:00 p.m.team 1-2 will be called first (5min) team 3-4 (5min) team 5-6 (5min)…….. So some teams will have longer times to cook (points can be docked based off of late turn in a max of 5)
2. Any team which does not have its entry ready to be judged at the required time will be docked points based off of room head official max of 5 points.
3. Each team will be provided with an official serving dish (6) to present its entrée and side to the judges. Any item in the box that is turned in will be thrown away after judging—bowls, serving ware, garnish)
TEAMS SHOULD HAVE A 3” x 5” card with ONLY food information telling name of entrée and Sides if more than one side is in the box team needs to note item to be judged, No team information can be on this card.
4. A member from each team will be responsible for delivering their team’s entry to the judging area at the assigned time. Judging may be staggered to accommodate the number or entries.
No team member may be present at the judges table during the judging process.
5. A Cook-off Co-Chairman will insure coordination of entries being judged and keep the judges table cleared of all entries for which sampling has been completed.
6. All judging will be anonymous. Each team will be assigned a number and their entry will be marked with that number. The judges will not know team numbers.
7. A Cook-off Co-Chairman will remain at the judges table throughout the judging process to insure accuracy.
8. A panel of judges will judge no more than 20 entrees and sides. The judges will select the top dish from their table. Ties will be broken by the side dish and scoring side dish scores will be of a non-even number such as 22.6 the decimal will make ties nearly impossible.
9. Awards presentation will take place on site at the conclusion of the judging. ( around 3:30pm)
III. SAMPLING SYSTEM:
1. This is a public event, if you have time and would like to prepare samples you may. Sampling can be similar to your entered recipes or other and may be prepared prior to the event.
2. Samples encouraged, but are not required.
4. Each competing team shall have a sign posted at its Cook-off area identifying the team by name.
5. A Cook-off volunteer will be assigned to oversee the cooking area and will alert Cook-off personnel to any unruly/inappropriate conduct.
IV. SHOWMANSHIP:
1. One or more judges shall judge the Showmanship Prize.
2. The judging will be over a continuous period from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21th, 2019.
3. There are no set criteria. Whatever the contestants believe is good showmanship is encouraged. Costumes, booths, decorations, actions/demeanor of cooks and assistants, and all other things located in and occurring at the Contestant’s cooking area will be considered.
V. SITE ASSIGNMENT: 1. All sites will be 10' by 10' squares. Teams will receive their location in advance or upon arrival. If larger site is needed for a prop or Booth please advise.
VI. NON-DISCRIMINATION:
Squirrel Cook off, and Benton County Quail Barn policy is not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, s*x, s*xual orientation or disability. During the cook-off, it is expected that all contestants and their representatives will adhere to a similar policy, and anyone deemed not to be adhering to such a policy will be disqualified and asked to leave the event.
VII. ALCOHOL--No participant will be allowed to sell or distribute alcoholic beverages of any kind during the Festival. No participant will be allowed to sell food items, including beverages. The Squirrel cook off has exclusive rights for all sales
.
VIII. COOK TEAM T-SHIRT SALES
Each 2019 Cook Team will be allowed to create a team t-shirt to be sold at the Festival
Each team will be required to pay $5 per t-shirt SOLD at the cook-off; this $5 will be donated to the designated charity. This fee can be incorporated into the price of the shirts. Cook Teams are asked to deliver shirts to the T-Shirt Booth where they will be sold by the volunteers. Cook Teams will be able to pick up their earnings, with $5 fee per shirt sold deducted, at the conclusion of the Festival, but no sooner than 2:45 p.m.
NO EARLY Breakdown!!!
For safety reasons, no vehicles or other equipment will be allowed to be moved before the end of the Festival.
At 3:00 pm security/event officers will direct the orderly and safe exit of all team vehicles and equipment.
Thank You for your cooperation!
PLEASE KEEP A COPY OF THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS WITH YOU THE DAY OF THE FESTIVAL.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!
