FAQ
Who can participate?
Any student in 6th through 12th grade living in Santa Cruz County is eligible. Teams are broken down into 2 heats: A 6th – 8th grade heat, and a 9th – 12th grade heat. Each team must have between 3 and 5 members of the appropriate grade levels for that heat. Teams may have an alternate cook, but the total number of team members on the day of the competition may not exceed 5.
How are the dishes judged?
All entries will be judged by the following criteria:
EXECUTION — clean and presentable uniforms including hard-soled shoes, hats, aprons, and safe food handling practices
TEAMWORK — evenly distributed workload, team cohesiveness, and communication
TASTE — a subjective category based on judge’s expertise
CREATIVITY — ingenuity of the ingredients used, creative use of ingredients
LOCAL — recipe highlights local, seasonal products (only for the Lively Local Award)
COMPLIANCE — meets all Jr Iron Chef Santa Cruz County Guidelines and Rules
What are the registration fees used for?
The registration fee offsets the costs associated with running Jr Iron Chef SCC, including event rentals, printing, and staff time to coordinate the event. Teams fund their registration and practice expenses in a variety of creative ways. Sponsorships from small businesses, incorporation into after school programs, healthy bake sales, and PTO donations help teams across the county raise their Jr Iron Chef SCC expenses. Please be in touch if you need help or ideas to fund your team!
What if there are too many applications?
On March 1st registrations will be accepted on a first come first serve basis until 6 teams for each heat are achieved. Additional applications will be put on a waiting list in the order they were received.
How do I find a chef to work with?
Including a professional chef on your team can help in a lot of ways. First, your chef probably has some great ideas for recipes using local ingredients, plus s/he can help you make sure your dishes come out just like you hope. Also, getting to know a chef can be a fun way to connect with a local restaurant. So, where can you find a chef to join your team? Think about what your favorite restaurants are; do they have a chef who could help? You can also consider asking one of the cooks from your school cafeteria if they could help you. They know a lot about cooking food that kids love and might have some secret recipes that are sure to win the competition. Once you have found chefs that you are interested in, you should write them a letter or call them on the phone that explains what Jr. Iron Chef SCC is and why you want their help. If you are calling avoid calling right at lunch or dinner time when the chefs are super busy.
Can our adult/chaperone help us cook?
No, Team Coaches are allowed to provide hands-off guidance and advice only.
How are the recipes reviewed?
Recipes are reviewed by members of the Jr Iron Chef SCC Planning Committee to ensure they comply with Jr Iron Chef SCC guidelines. Feedback and suggestions are given freely.