Chefs Under Fire™ Frequently Asked Questions

October 9, 2009 in Austin, Events, Recipes | 4 comments

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As Chefs Under Fire™ draws closer, we will answer all questions we receive on this Chefs Under Fire Blog Post. If you have additional questions, please send them to update@keepercollection.com, and we will notify you when your answer has been posted. Learn more about the Chefs Under Fire event!

Q: What, if any, are the prizes for the three winners?

A: If you are named the winner by a Celebrity Chef/Judge, you will receive the following:

Your original recipe will be published in the Plate & Vine Interactive Cookbook, along with you picture, bio, and website link of your choice.
Your name will be announced and publicized via the social networks and websites of Keeper Collection, Wine & Food Foundation of Texas, and other affiliated groups and organizations.
You will receive a photograph with the Celebrity Chef on an award plaque, naming you as that chef’s selection as winner of Chefs Under Fire 2009.
You will receive a 3 pack of maple Boos Cutting Boards.
You will receive a Soda Stream Penguin home soda maker.
You will receive a two night stay in a studio suite at the Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa with dinner for two at Bolla - valued at over $500!
You will receive a Kiolbassa Sausage gift certificate.
You will receive a gift certificate to Mission Restaurant Supply.
You will receive a gift certificate for one GelPro Kitchen Floor Mat.

Other reward details are still being finalized by the Chefs Under Fire™ team. As the event approaches, these details will be released to the public.

Q: How much time is allowed to execute the recipes?

A: On the day of the competition, each set of finalists will be given a scheduled prep time of 1 ½ hours during the day. For example, all of the Chef David Bull’s finalists will prep in the same 1 ½ hour time block, Chef Tyson Cole’s finalists will prep in the following 1 ½ hour time block, and Chef Kent Rathbun’s finalists will prep in the following 1 ½ hour time block (order may vary). On that evening of the competition, the finalists will have an additional 30 minutes to finalize and plate all four of their dishes to present to the judges.

Q: If selected as a finalist, will I be allowed to cook with a sous chef or assistant?

A: No, all finalists must cook alone on the day of the competition.

Q: If I chose to submit recipes for all three chefs, will that mean I would compete in all three “heats,” or would being selected for one mean that I am barred from competing in others?

A: Absolutely not! If you would like to compete in front of multiple chefs, just submit an entry fee and recipe submission for each chef that you would like to have the opportunity to compete in front of. If selected as a finalist for multiple chefs, you will be assigned multiple prep times, multiple plating times, and multiple presentation times for each chef.

Q: What if I do not live in Austin and am selected as a finalist and don’t have a place to stay in Austin on the night of November 30th?

A: To encourage participation by out of town contestants, Housing accommodations, determined by the Wine & Food Foundation, will be available for out of town finalists if needed. All other travel costs associated with the competition for out of town finalists will be the responsibility of the contestants.

Q: Once I apply as a contestant, will I have access to the original recipe?

A: Once you submit your entry fee to compete in Chefs Under Fire, you will receive a gift certificate to Plate & Vine Interactive Cookbook. You will need to redeem this gift certificate for yourself in order to view the recipes needed for this competition.

Q: As a contestant, how much creative license will I have? What, within the recipe, must remain?

A: Each chef has outlined specific guidelines for his Chefs Under Fire competition recipe, specifying the original ingredients and/or recipe components that must remain. After you submit your entry fee, you will receive an email from that specific chef identifying these guidelines and further instructions for your contestant submission. Besides the specific guidelines in that email, the goal of this competition is creativity! Use your unique style and flair to prove to the chefs why you deserve to be named winner of Chefs Under Fire 2009!

Q: Will I be allowed to add a component to my final recipe, such as a side dish or beverage?

A: If selected as a finalist, you will be judged only on the components of the recipe specified in the original recipe. No additional components, such as side dishes or beverages, will be taken into consideration.