If family members and friends revere your culinary skills, perhaps it’s time you put those skills to the test by entering and perhaps winning a recipe contest. But there are things to consider before you are even eligible to enter a recipe contest, much less win it. That’s where this article comes in.
Before we get to the recipe-contest-winning angle of this article, here’s bonus tip we’d like to share:
Bonus Tip:
You entered, but you didn’t win, and that’s okay. The most important thing about these contests at the end of the day is the rub you get from professionals and the experience of being out there in front of the world. But if you still wanted to win something for your participation, then you; be happy to know that most restaurants and shops offer gifts and giveaways to anyone who participates in their surveys. Some of the finest online survey sites and apps that do so include:
- Snipon
- SurveyPlanet
- SurveyMonkey
- LimeSurvey
- QuickTapSurvey
Let’s dive right into the most important elements that go into entering and winning a recipe contest:
1. Look for Contests
Arguably, one of the best ways to look for recipe contests is the internet. It’s as easy as typing the words “recipe contests” into the search engine and boom.
There’s a couple of annually-recurring contests that you should set calendar dates for. But you should probably go for other small one-off contests that could be worth your time whether you are entering simply for the cash, trips, or anything else.
2. Learn the Rules
Once you have found a contest you want to enter, read the rules that come with it. We’re not just talking about the rules to enter a contest, by the way. Every contest that anyone enters, either in person or online, has its own set of “official rules” that need to be followed.
Check the rules to see if you’re eligible to enter, what the specific deadlines are, the number is entries you’re allowed to submit, how entries are judged, if there are any restrictions for the number of ingredients you can use, or even how recipes are supposed to be written.
You should also check if online voting is part of the contest’s judging process, and see how much you like or trust your friends on social media and if there is, it could be very annoying to get the kind of response you need to get yourself into the top entries.
3. Add Your Own Creativity Into it
Making a dish that is already recorded and documented in cookbooks, is taking the easy way out. What you really want to do is make your own recipe, especially one that stands out from the other dishes. And if this means having to step outside your comfort zone, so be it.
Envision a number of different renditions of your recipe, but make sure it fits the theme of the contest. Choose one that’s the most unusual while still meeting the judging criteria of the contest.
4. Keep Practicing Until You Get it Right
The best advice we can offer to ensure you win a recipe contest besides following the rules, of course, is to keep practicing until you get your dish right. In other words, practice makes perfect.
With this in mind, you should also have others taste your dish for you. Sure, the recipe might taste fine to you, but what about everyone else? After all, everybody’s taste buds are unique. You can have friends and family members join in and conduct a little taste test to see where you stand realistically. The more feedback you get for your dish, the better chance it has of being chosen as the winning recipe.