Reinhart’s Intercollegiate Beef Culinary Competition

What is the Beef Culinary Competition?
Reinhart FoodService with Food Marketing Services along with the Iowa Beef Council are sponsoring the 8th annual culinary competition. This year’s event is going to change a little due to the current economy. This event is focused to help students in culinary schools throughout Iowa, be creative in the different areas of beef usage across the menu and different day parts. In past years we have focused on specific cuts of beef. This year we are giving the students a sub primal (Top Butt) and letting them cut it as they see fit. We are also are changing from a focus on the dinner meal to a focus across the whole menu to include breakfast, lunch and dinner items.

What is expected at the Culinary Competition?
The teams will participate in the competition on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 during Reinhart’s Spring Food Show at the Marriott in Coralville. Teams will be judged in four categories 1) Appearance, 2) Taste, Tenderness, Texture, 3) Overall Creativity, Practicality, 4) Product handling, Safety and Sanitation, in all three meal segments Teams are strongly encouraged to have their items that require a long time IE marinades, stocks and sauces, prepared in advance. Teams will prepare 5 plates of each item in each meal segment, one for each judge and a display plate.

Recognition and Awards.
Each team member will be recognized with a certificate of participation. Cash awards will go to winning college culinary fund for equipment. There will be one for Best breakfast, Best lunch, Best dinner and Best overall. All recipes will be reprinted and distributed recognizing the College and team members.

Kitchen/Equipment.
Very Basic equipment will be provided, ie sink, stove, oven, and worktable. Beyond that each team will need to bring their own equipment.

Schedule
Every year we have a different line up of schools that choose to participate. Typically the schools that have the longer distance to drive and spent the night in town will go first to allow the other schools time to drive in for the day. The time in the kitchen also depends on the number of schools that choose to compete.

Display Table
Teams are responsible for setting up a display table for the public. 8-foot banquet table with a poster of recipe and food costing, flyer sheets for public to pick up is all that will be provided.

Samples
It is entirely up to each team whether to bring extras of the entrée to share with the public after the judges have finished.

Helper
Each team may have one non-cooking helper to aid in cleaning for the next team. Failure to clean kitchen for next team may cause for disqualification or loss of points.

Serving Judges
Each team should have one person of age (if serving alcohol) to serve the judges and to explain the why the team picked the wine to compliment or contrast to the food they prepared. They should be well versed in the meal components and preparation technique.

Downloadable information available from http://hillskitchen.org  You’ll have to first register for the site to be able to view posts and download documents.  Registration is free.