SPAMARAMA

COOK-OFF

Professional Division * Open Division * Cash Prizes for the Top Winners

What troupers! The cook-off teams were in rare form, the weather didn't slow them down one bit!

The featured event was the SPAM® Cook-Off with two divisions: Open and Professional. Both Cook-Off divisions showcase SPAM™ recipes from chefs, local restaurants and caterers, as well as self-proclaimed SPAM™ gourmets. Celebrity judges awarded points and trophies in the categories of taste and showmanship. In addition to the top three prizes in each Cook-Off Division, most contestants yearned to take home the top prize, the SPAMERICA ™ Cup trophy, a “traveling” trophy with the previous 28 winner’s names emblazoned thereon! At the other extreme, there are always a few entrants going purely for the “Worst of Show” trophy. And we continued a popular new “tradition” for the third year, the “People’s Choice” award!

And the winners were:

PROFESSIONAL DIVISION
Taste
1st Place:		SPAM™ Cordon Bleu
2nd place:		SPAM™ Oscar
3rd place:		SPAM™ Cullinaire
Showmanship
1st Place:		Pirates Deadman SPAM™
2nd place:		SPAM™ Cullinaire
3rd place:		Velvet Hog Wedding Cake
OPEN DIVISION
Taste
1st Place:		Photo Finish SPAM™ Chili
2nd place:		SPAM™ Pad Thai
3rd place:		SPAMbi™
Showmanship
1st Place		Trim SPAM™
2nd place:		Photo Finish SPAM™ Chili
3rd place:		SPAM™ Wellington
Worst in Show:		Trim SPAM™
People's Choice:		Velvet Hog Wedding Cake
SPAMAMERICA™ Cup:		SPAM™ Cullinaire

The Smithsonian Institute Network filmed SPAMARAMA® 2007, arriving a couple of days prior to the showdown to shadow three of our Cook-Off teams! The local spotlight shone on John Myers, George & Linda Odom and David Spooner.

We had film crew competition with the arrival of CMT (County Music Television) and a crew from the UT School of Communications.

Cook Off Winners Spamarama Cook Off

Prizes were awarded to the winners in the SPAM™ Cook-Off. Click here to see the donors and their prize donations.

COOK-OFF RULES & REGULATIONS

1. All entries must be registered by 10:30 am and ready for judging by 1:30 p.m. Each team must send one representative to a mandatory 11:00 a.m. meeting in the Cook-Off tent to review rules and sign required forms. Teams who do not sign forms or do not pay their entry fee are ineligible for prizes.

*Advance registration is required by 3/23/07 to guarantee a place in the Cook-off Tent! Checks should be made payable to SPAMARAMA®.

2. All entries must be original and contain SPAM ® luncheon meat. Any recipes using another potted pork product will be disqualified.

3. Only one dish per entry. The contestant must taste his/her dish at a judge's request.

4. Entries may be prepared in advance or at the event site. All entrants must abide by the rules of the City of Austin Health & Human Services Department for serving food to the public. These rules are available from the City of Austin at 512-972-5671 and a copy will be provided to you, mail or email, upon receipt of your Cookoff entry. At the event, you must sign a “Temporary Food Service Certification” in order to be eligible for the competition. Your signature validates your knowledge of the HHSD rules.

5. All contestants must submit their name(s), mailing address(es), e-mail address(es), and phone number(s) with their recipe when registering.

6. Contestants will be required to sign a publicity release/liability waiver and give permission allowing SPAMARAMA® to reprint their recipe.

7. All entries become the property of SPAMARAMA® and will not be returned to the contestant(s). SPAMARAMA® assumes no responsibilities for recipes.

8. All entries will be judged by a panel of distinguished celebrity judges who will award points in two categories, Taste and Showmanship. The decision of the judges is final.

9. All Cook-off teams will be required to serve samples, or to be on display to the public, between the hours of 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm.

10. No beer or alcohol of any kind will be allowed to be brought in. Beer and soft drinks will be sold inside the gate.

11. Open Division will consist of 2-person teams with a 6' table provided. Professional Division will consist of 4-person teams with 12' of table space. The Open Division fee is $50 and the Professional Division fee is $75, the cost of the Temporary Food Service Certification permit is included in the entry fee. Additional team members may be added for an additional charge of $5.00 per person.

12. HAVE FUN!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

* For more information and to register, email spam_cookoff@dact.org or call 512-834-1827.

Tables and chairs for Cook-off booths will be provided; however, contestants may bring their own chairs. Contestants may use gas cookers or Coleman stoves.

No alcoholic beverages may be brought into the festival grounds with cook-off supplies. You may purchase beer at the festival from one of our many beer booths.

There is no vehicular traffic allowed on park grounds. A cart will be available to assist loading your gear into the cook-off tent.

Sorry, NO DOGS WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE PARK.

Also, NO PARKING IN THE PARK; NO EXCEPTIONS