Competition Rules
AUI Fine Foods (Albert Uster Imports) is organizing a pastry competition called “AUI Pastry Cup” which will run from September 18-19, 2017 under the conditions and rules set below. These conditions and rules are subject to change from time to time as may be determined at the sole discretion of AUI.
I. Recipe Submission Phase 1
The competition is open to people working in the United States over the age of 21 at the time of the application submission. Applicants must be currently employed as professional chefs and have 5 years professional experience.
Persons employed or contracted by AUI in the last 12 months are not eligible to enter.
Applicants will be required to submit an application certifying their eligibility and a recipe with photo. The submitted recipe must be an original plated dessert using at least 2 Sosa Ingredients of choice. One entry per applicant.
All submitted recipes become the property of AUI to be used and distributed however is seen fit in perpetuity.
Recipe submissions and competitor applications should be submitted online at http://www.auifinefoods.com/aui-pastry-cup-2017 or via email to USPastryCup@auifinefoods.com. Only submissions received on those platforms will be accepted, and all submissions are due no later than 12:00 PM (noon) EST on June 30, 2017.
AUI reserves the right to postpone the closing date for entries.
All incomplete or false entries will be considered null and void and will be disqualified.
From the pool of submitted applications and recipes, a selection committee of nonaffiliated judges will select 12 finalists based on a blind recipe review. Submissions will be scored based on technical skill, creativity, and degree of difficulty displayed in the submitted photo and recipe.
The 12 finalists will be notified that they have advanced to the live competition stage via email by 5:00 pm EST on August 1, 2017.
The 12 selected competitors must be available to compete at AUI Headquarters in Gaithersburg, MD starting Sunday, September 17, 2017 (pre-competition meeting) through Tuesday September 19, 2017 with a pre-competition meeting on Sunday September 17, 2017. All chef competitors will need to be present for all 3 days even if they have been eliminated (see section V. regarding Live Competition for elimination information).
The 12 finalists must send via email a resume, headshot, and a signed acknowledgement of competition dates and property rights assignment from his/her employer no later than 12:00 PM (noon) EST on August 10, 2017.
The 12 finalists must submit all final competition recipes, using the AUI recipe template, to the organizing committee no later than 12:00 pm (noon) EST September 1, 2017 (see section V. regarding Live Competition for recipe categories).
All final competition recipes must use AUI product where applicable. Brands not distributed by AUI will not be allowed at the competition if AUI distributes a similar product. No competing brands of couverture, puree, or any other ingredient will be allowed. If a competitor would like a special exception, they must submit a formal request and explanation to the organizing committee with the relevant recipe by August 25, 2017.
Recipes cannot be changed once they have been submitted and must be used in the plated dessert portion of the final competition. In the event the competitor would like to change their recipe after submission, the change and explanation must be submitted to the organizing committee for approval by 12:00 PM (noon) on September 1, 2017.
All competition recipes become the property of AUI to be used and distributed however is seen fit in perpetuity.
AUI will organize and pay for transportation, accommodations, and meals for the 12 competitors.
AUI will contact competitors via email to begin coordinating travel and hotel arrangements no later than 5:00 pm EST on August 29, 2017.
Competitors must arrive in Gaithersburg, MD on Sunday, September 17, 2017 by 3:00 pm EST. On arrival day, all competitors will be required to attend a competition meeting to review rules, answer questions, and receive chef jackets and aprons.
Competitors will depart Gaithersburg, MD after the conclusion of the competition on Tuesday, September 19, 2017.
Each chef competitor selected for the competition will be supplied a worktop with standard kitchen equipment. A list of available equipment will be sent to competitors via email no later than 5:00 pm EST on August 26, 2017. Any materials not listed are the sole responsibility of the competitor.
Ingredients will not be provided with the exception of AUI ingredients. Any other ingredients or equipment/tools shall be the responsibility of the competitors. Competitors must provide all of their own plates and display trays.
Each candidate must provide his/her own small equipment (side towels, knives, piping tip, etc.) and any equipment specific to his/her recipes. Candidates may scale their ingredients prior to the event.
AUI is not liable for any loss, theft or damage of or to the equipment or products supplied or created by a candidate at any stage of the competition.
All competitors must wear black pants and kitchen-appropriate footwear. Official branded jackets and aprons will be supplied by the organizing committee.
The equipment and food will be inspected for compliance by workmanship judges prior to the start of the Live Competition phase.
Any candidate violating the rules of the competition may be eliminated at the sole discretion of Judges and AUI.
All finished products will be judged 70% on taste and 30% on workmanship. Final scores will be an average of the judges’ scores.
Day 1: Pre-Dessert – 2.5 hours
Competitors will draw presentation times the night before the competition.
Workmanship Judge will be present to judge on proper use of time, cleanliness, organization, and loss of raw materials.
Each chef competitor will need to make 6 Pre-desserts utilizing at least 1 Sosa product of choice.
Chef competitors will need to present to judges inspiration and flavors.
Any delay in submitting the dessert for judging shall entail a penalty.
Failure to adhere to recipe submitted in advance of the competition may result in a penalty.
Each pre-dessert (2oz-3oz) will be judged on overall appearance, balance of flavor and textures, and degree of difficulty.
The 6 chef competitors with the lowest final scores will be eliminated. After the eliminated chefs have been announced, the remaining 6 competitors will advance to the next round.
Day 1: Plated Desserts – 4 Hours
Competitors will draw presentation times the night before the competition.
Workmanship Judge will be present to judge on proper use of time, cleanliness, organization, and loss of raw materials.
Each chef competitor will need to make 6 Plated Desserts utilizing at least 2 Sosa products.
Failure to adhere to recipe submitted in advance of the competition may result in a penalty.
Chef competitors will need to present to judges inspiration and flavors.
Any delay in submitting the dessert for judging shall entail a penalty.
Each plated dessert will be judged on overall appearance, balance of flavor and textures, and degree of difficulty.
The 3 chef competitors with the lowest final scores will be eliminated. After the eliminated chefs have been announced, the remaining 3 competitors will advance to the next round and spend 2 hours preparing for day 3.
Day 2: Entremet and Bon Bon Round – 6 Hours
Workmanship Judge will be present to judge on proper use of time, cleanliness, organization, and loss of raw materials.
Each chef competitor will need to make 48 (two flavors, 24 of each) molded bon bons and 2 entremets of any flavor; the 2 entremets should be identical to each other. Entremet must utilize 3 Sosa products and a Silikomart mold, AUI will provide options to each competitor during the recipe submission phase.
Chef competitor will need to present to judges inspiration and flavors. There are no staggered presentation times.
Any delay in submitting the dessert shall entail a penalty.
Entremets will be judged on overall appearance and decoration, slicing of the cake and interior appearance, balance of flavor, and texture. One entremet will be displayed whole to the judges and one will be sliced by the organizing committee for the judges to taste.
Bon bons shape can be competitor’s choice however the final bon bons must weigh at least 8 grams and no more than 12 grams. Bon bons will be judged on overall appearance, interior and exterior appearance, balance of flavor, texture, and creativity.
Chef competitors will need to present to judges inspiration and flavors.
Scores will be tabulated and the grand prize winner will be announced immediately after the competition.
Prizes
1st Prize: $5,000 Cash, so good.. Magazine Advertisement, $500 AUI Product
2nd Prize: $3,000 Cash, $250 AUI Product
3rd Prize: $2,000 Cash, $150 AUI Product
