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As DEFCON draws closer, i figured i'd want to mention some of the details of a highly unofficial contest that is run in conjunction with the ToxicBBQ each year. Most of you may be somewhat aware of it, but for the lurkers and the newbies... wrap your mind and your meat skewers around the Titanium Chef Challenge.
In the tradition of the "Iron Chef" cooking competitions, this contest pits teams against one another in the task of creating a meal focused around a theme ingredient to be revealed right at the start of the contest. More specifics about the rules, along with footage from past years, is available at the above URL.
The really basic rundown that you need to know is the following...
1. Teams of two to four people work together to get to a store, get to the park, and create a nice meal in a fixed time window.
2. On Thursday at exactly 15:00 at the Riviera right by the DEFCON Reg desk i will reveal this year's theme ingredient to the assembled masses. If you want to know what it is, you'd better be there. If your team isn't there, you'd better call someone or figure out how to learn the ingredient. (I will take cell numbers from team members who pre-register... and i text the theme ingredient to these numbers at 15:30, as well... in case you were lost or couldn't figure out where we were meeting)
3. INSIDER TIP - this year's theme will be one of the following...
4. Teams will have one hour to shop and a half hour to get their butts to Sunset Park (15:00 - 16:30)
5. Teams will cook their food and prepare their dishes for one hour as the assembling crowd starts to arrive and have a good time. (16:30 - 17:30) Remember, you're making four items in total: two main dishes, one side dishe, and a drink. The main dishes must "officially" feature the theme. The side dish is there to compliment the theme ingredient but isn't obligated to contain it. (Naturally, it's allowed to, of course... unless things just get silly.)
6. All final submissions by the participants should be plated and ready for presentation by 17:30. We don't blow a whistle and shout "all tools down all hands up" or anything that silly, but you should surely be off the grills at that time, since we'll need all of them by 17:30 for the BBQ to properly get in full swing. Your plating should include at least one "show" piece (your meal plated nicely, all laid out, etc) and the rest of the food can be just family style... where tasters (judges or the public) can take what they wish.
7. A panel of judges will sample and score your food.* Each contestant item is scored in the categories of taste, plating/appearance, and creativity. One additional score is noted down for each team's overall harmony under the theme. Scores are totaled and the winner is calculated. (see last year's score sheets, online here... scroll down)
* Since i am friendly with lots of the people who participate on the teams, by policy i am not a judge. Whomever is in the area and knows me and asks politely gets to be one of the seven or eight judges.
8. The winning team gets some kickass prize. Last year it was a fucking Nintendo Wii. This year, money's tight for everyone... but i'm still doing something good. I figure maybe a Nintendo DS.
Heh, as any of the many women who've dated me can tell you... i'd surely benefit from some time playing Brain Age so i'm happy if no one comes out and participates... but that's no fun for the rest of us!
So, announce your intentions here (i've had some pseudo-announcements... PM's and email from people saying "oh yeah, we totally want to play) and we'll see you all in Vegas!
In the tradition of the "Iron Chef" cooking competitions, this contest pits teams against one another in the task of creating a meal focused around a theme ingredient to be revealed right at the start of the contest. More specifics about the rules, along with footage from past years, is available at the above URL.
The really basic rundown that you need to know is the following...
1. Teams of two to four people work together to get to a store, get to the park, and create a nice meal in a fixed time window.
2. On Thursday at exactly 15:00 at the Riviera right by the DEFCON Reg desk i will reveal this year's theme ingredient to the assembled masses. If you want to know what it is, you'd better be there. If your team isn't there, you'd better call someone or figure out how to learn the ingredient. (I will take cell numbers from team members who pre-register... and i text the theme ingredient to these numbers at 15:30, as well... in case you were lost or couldn't figure out where we were meeting)
3. INSIDER TIP - this year's theme will be one of the following...
.. seafood ................. ribs ..
.. chicken .............. tex/mex
tenderloin .............. butter
.... bison .................. sausage
... bacon ................. venison
.. chicken .............. tex/mex
tenderloin .............. butter
.... bison .................. sausage
... bacon ................. venison
4. Teams will have one hour to shop and a half hour to get their butts to Sunset Park (15:00 - 16:30)
5. Teams will cook their food and prepare their dishes for one hour as the assembling crowd starts to arrive and have a good time. (16:30 - 17:30) Remember, you're making four items in total: two main dishes, one side dishe, and a drink. The main dishes must "officially" feature the theme. The side dish is there to compliment the theme ingredient but isn't obligated to contain it. (Naturally, it's allowed to, of course... unless things just get silly.)
6. All final submissions by the participants should be plated and ready for presentation by 17:30. We don't blow a whistle and shout "all tools down all hands up" or anything that silly, but you should surely be off the grills at that time, since we'll need all of them by 17:30 for the BBQ to properly get in full swing. Your plating should include at least one "show" piece (your meal plated nicely, all laid out, etc) and the rest of the food can be just family style... where tasters (judges or the public) can take what they wish.
7. A panel of judges will sample and score your food.* Each contestant item is scored in the categories of taste, plating/appearance, and creativity. One additional score is noted down for each team's overall harmony under the theme. Scores are totaled and the winner is calculated. (see last year's score sheets, online here... scroll down)
* Since i am friendly with lots of the people who participate on the teams, by policy i am not a judge. Whomever is in the area and knows me and asks politely gets to be one of the seven or eight judges.
8. The winning team gets some kickass prize. Last year it was a fucking Nintendo Wii. This year, money's tight for everyone... but i'm still doing something good. I figure maybe a Nintendo DS.
Heh, as any of the many women who've dated me can tell you... i'd surely benefit from some time playing Brain Age so i'm happy if no one comes out and participates... but that's no fun for the rest of us!
So, announce your intentions here (i've had some pseudo-announcements... PM's and email from people saying "oh yeah, we totally want to play) and we'll see you all in Vegas!
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