Friday, April 30, 2010
7 p.m.. - 10 p. m.
Sweetwater County Events Complex
3320 Yellowstone Road, Rock Springs, WY 82901
READY TO FEAST?
Be our guest at the 4th annual Rock'n River Chefs Challenge! There will be lots of wonderful food to try and fun for everyone!
Try the culinary creations from regional amateur and professional chefs. Many of the chefs will be cooking as you arrive! There will be raffles, drawings, silent auctions and live Ultimate-Day-Package Auctions. Help support the employment of people with disAbilities by sponsoring the Rock'n River Chefs Challenge! Purchase a corporate table (seating for 8), or an Ultimate Day Package in your name to be auctioned to the public the night of the event. You may also purchase individual tickets. Packages & tickets are available at the bottom of this page. Or visit one of the ticket outlets located in Rock Springs and Green River. Tickets are available in Rock Springs at: the Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce, Samuels Jewelers, the Liquor Depot, & High Desert Art Gallery, & Trona Valley Credit Union. In Green River, tickets are available at: Green River Chamber of Commerce, Book & Bean, & Trona Valley Credit Union.
Special Event Features!
Samuels Jewelers Diamond Champaign Raffle!
during the event, purchase a beautiful black hand blown glass complete with champaigne and put your name into a drawing for a 1ctwt diamond piece. The jewelry will be available for you to see at the Samuels Jewelery Table along with your special Chef Challenge gift!
City to City Cook-Off Competition for the Golden Spatula Award!
In addition to our chef competition that will be going on that night, Rock Springs City Council and Green River City Council will match culinary talent for the highly desired "Golden Spatula" award. These city teams will not compete in the categories but will go head to head against each other for this traveling trophy! Green River won the award last year and they want to keep it. This is not limited to only Rock Springs or Green River- or to just the City Councils! If you want to enter your city or city department- call (307) 362-3339 for information!
If you are interested in competing as a chef, please continue to read the information provided below. For personal assistance please call, call Beth Whitman, Event Organizer, at (307) 362-3339
700 guests are expected to attend!
BECOME A FEATURED CHEF
The heart and soul of the 2010 Chefs Challenge are the dedicated Amateur and Professional Chefs who use their creative culinary talents to wow the audience! Be a part of the action by volunteering to be a featured chef at this 4th annual special event. Chefs will create one serving for a presentation piece to be judged and then will have prepared 200 samples for the public to try. Chefs are welcome to prepare their food offsite at licensed kitchen facilities or live in front of the audience!
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
Anyone interested in sharing their culinary talent is invited to participate! You can represent a business (it doesn't have to be a restaurant) as its sponsored chef (great marketing opportunity), or sign up on your own! You can participate in either the Professional Division or the Amateur Division! It's up to you to choose. The organizing committe has decided that you know best which division suits your ability. You are welcome to bring family, friends, or coworkers to help you prepare and serve your samples to the public.
WHY PARTICIPATE?
Whether you like to cook as a hobby for family and friends, or you are a professionally trained chef, you will enjoy this challenge! Watch our guests as they devour your food creations and see how your special or favorite recipes rank with the judges and the crowd. The 4th annual ROCK'n RIVER Chefs Challenge is a great way to showcase your culinary talent.
In addition, you will be supporting a worthy cause: promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities through the Business Leadership Network and MentorABILITY programs.
Restaurants, caterers, and businesses of all kinds can use this as a great marketing opportunity! Ask employees who enjoy cooking to come up with a menu item and form a team. Then use posters, brochures, coupons, promotions items and advertising material to decorate your table. You can even hold your own drawings from your table.
There is no cost - all you have to do is provide 200 samples for the public to try. The Rock'n River Chefs Challenge typically brings 700 people with appetites in tow, for a great night of best recipes and food selections for a tasting extravaganza!
MENU CATEGORIES
Chefs are invited to select from these menu categories (may select one or more categories):
1. Appetizer
2. Main Entree
3. Dessert
4. International Cuisine
5. Food Stylizing (Attention cake, candy, and food decorators!)
This is the first year for Food Stylizing, so there will be only one division. Both Amateur and Professional Chefs will compete for this award. Entrants in this category are required to provide 200 samples but the competition piece will be judged strictly on presentation only. Wedding and Special Event Cakes, Candies, and Food Art is all welcome. Use your artistic talents culinary tools to prepare a show piece. Questions? Call Beth Whitman at (307) 362-3339.
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
Each chef is requested to register by April 17, 2010 for their preferred menu category. Chefs will be required to prepare 200 individual samples for the evening of the event. Chefs are welcome to prepare more. 700 guests are expected to attend- however not everyone will try all samples. Each chef will be provided with a table 8'x 30" for the evening. Each chef will be responsible for distribution of their samples during the event. The chef may be on hand for this, or may have representatives perform that service. Chefs may request assistance from our volunteers. Chefs will be required to submit their ingredient list. Chefs are asked to send a digital photo to be used for banners (provided by committee) above your table. Photos will also be uploaded to the BLN Website. Pictures may be used for a power point program during event and for a future cookbook. Chefs are encouraged to submit their recipe for their competition piece. Chefs may decorate their own serving table. Chefs are welcome to distribute marketing material, menus, coupons, brochures or promotional items at their table. Chefs are also welcome to hold drawings at their table for the public. Chef's tables may be set up between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on April 30th, 2010. Judging will take place starting at 5 p.m. Each category will be judged at a staggered schedule which will be given to the chefs prior to the event. The first 50 chefs registered for the event will receive an apron with event logo. All chefs will be given a white plate/bowl for their presentation piece to the judges prior to the start of the event. Please, no pre-packaged foods.
FACILITIES AVAILABLE
The Sweetwater County Events Complex has a full-line, licensed kitchen with display cases, coolers, freezers, ranges, grills, convection ovens and standard ovens, as well as a dishwasher and sinks which will be available to participating chefs two days before the event, starting at 8am on Wednesday, April 28th- should kitchen be needed for food preparation. Kitchen facilities are inspected and approved by the Sweetwater County Board of Health. Chefs may also prepare their dishes off site in licensed kitchen facilities and manner consistent with approved health department directives. Each chef will be given a 8' x 30" table with a table cloth. Chefs may decorate their table any way they desire and have brochures, business cards, coupons or other material for guests of the event- consider this an opportunity to market your business to the public! Electrical outlets are available from ceiling and floor outlets. Chefs will need to inform committee about any additional utility needs. Tables with at least 200 samples for each competing menu item are to be completely set up by 6:30 p.m. the night of the event. Samples may be prepared "live" in front of guests or prior to the start of the event.
PRIZES
Winners will be announced during the evening.
Culinar series knives will be awarded as prizes for all Amateur and Professional category winners along with a stunning show ribbon. In addition, professional division winners will receive a beautiful engraved platter to display in their business. All professional category winners will compete for ‘Best in Show' and winner will be awarded a large engraved crystal trophy vase with a 36" grand champion ribbon. Sure to be impressive in a prominent place in your business!
HOW TO REGISTER
Click Chef Registration at the top of this page. When you hit the Submit button it will be sent straight to our email
If you have questions contact Beth Whitman at (307) 362-3339 or e-mail: RS-BLN@vcn.com
Welcome back 2010 Judges!
Chef Wendi Schwartz, has been a judge for the Rock'n River Chefs Challenge since the very first challenge in 2007. Chef Wendi has participated and won many chef competitions with original recipes such as her winning entry for the California Date Administrative Committee called Duck on a Date. Chef Wendi also won the 2005 National Chef's Association Competition. After a busy life in the city, she decided to bring her love and style of cooking to Pinedale Wyoming and opened the celebrated Cafe on Pine. Cafe on Pine is a wonderful Italian restaurant with great ambiance. Be sure to pick up specialty kitchen items and gourmet foods while you stop by for a great lunch or dinner!
Chef Bryan Woolley from KUTV Channel 2 Fresh from the Kitchen Show will be one of our premier judges in 2010. Chef Bryan loves Wyoming and judging at this annual competition! Chef Bryan also invites the Best in Show winner to come to Salt Lake City and showcase their winning recipe on KUTV's Fresh from the Kitchen Show at noon!
Chef David Sonkens is back for his third year as a Rock'n River judge! He currently owns In the Meantime Catering Company in Salt Lake City Utah. Chef David attended the Culinary Instute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He worked as a chef in Manhatten and Atlanta and then went to Park City's Canyons Ski Resort and Canella's.
Chef Cindy Bailey is our local judge and is back for her 2nd year. She learned the love of cooking at her grandmother's knee. People rave about her cooking style. She likes to use gourmet foods and seems to have a knack for putting together a great dish. She owned her own catering business, but now donates dinner parties and wine tastings for charitable events. She is an avid fan of cooking shows and loves to read cookbooks as a hobby in her spare time.
