The world needs more cooking contests (and how to host good ones)

In cooking, like life, A little healthy competition can motivate people to appear, appear, and shine. Cook-off, bake-off, all kinds of food-related “off”— Build a food-focused gathering like a contest Excite guests to contribute to the party.

Cook-off is a simple concept.Choose food and ask people to make and bring the best The version of that food. Everyone eats the food of others. Winners are chosen and losers are lightly ridiculed, but it’s all fun (because everyone eats a lot) because there are no real losers in the cook-off. However, hosting a fun and effortless cook-off (or bake-off, etc.) requires a bit of planning.

Choose refreshing food

This is the first and most obvious step.Foods that allow many variations Best choice.Croquembouche off isn’t that much fun or meaningful, as you’ll have to do a fairly sophisticated pastry chef to riff such standardized recipes (with one exception). Our microwave method).

Chocolate chip cookies, on the other hand, allow for a lot of riffs. Chile, like Tsubasa, is another cooking contest icon. All kinds of barbecue.Lasagna, meatloaf, meatballs, macaroni and cheese, and Dip Also make a good cooking theme.If Your friends are not the type of dish, you can turn off the martini at any time.

Providing something boring

Don’t expect guests to bring anything other than food that is judged. They won’t bring bowls for chili peppers, they won’t bring napkins for their wings, they won’t bring any kind of serving equipment. It’s up to you as a host to provide them. If your cutlery drawer is only in stock in 2-4 homes, you need to supplement your collection as follows: A short trip to goodwill— My recourse to provide very cheap items such as tableware, tableware, bowls, cups and plates. You will not be sad if your job breaks.

If the guest plans to bring a slow cooker, electric warmer, or anything else that needs to be plugged in, enough power strips so that everyone can keep the dish at the right temperature. And make sure you have an extension cord.

Oh, especially if you’re hosting a martini off, don’t forget the ice.

Maintain serving size small

The point of cook-off is to try many different versions of the same food. If you give your guests large bowls and dishes, they will fill them. This is just human nature.A saucer instead of a dinner plate, a mug instead of a bowl, or even them Small paper food boat You see at all food festivals.

Please provide something fun

Unless the garnish is part of a particular vision for the guest’s cooking, the task of providing the garnish and assortment Jewelery will probably fall to you, the host. For chili, this is cheese, sour cream, jalapeno pepper. For bake off, this can mean a cold pitcher of milk, or whipped cream. For martini off, Olive and lemon zestAnd maybe some Pickled onions..

Keep it secret

Even the most emotionally mature group of friends is prejudiced, so it’s best to keep things as anonymous as possible until the winner is revealed. Instead, assign a number to each dish. EWhen I’m full, it gets very cold.

Providing multiple ways for people to “win”

“The best” is such subjective metricSo I want to offer an additional one..Not just to give out A simple scorecard to “evaluate” each entry, Provides space for writing superlatives such as “Most Creative,” “Spicy,” “Best Use of Chocolate,” and “Most Alcoholic,” depending on the dish. At hand. (This helps ensure that competition continues Healthy condition I aspire To achieve sometimes. )