Competitions and Championships

PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Championship presented by the PEI Potato Board .

Are you a Chef or Cook on PEI?  Come compete for the title of PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Champion! And an automatic buy into the Cream International Chowder Championship.

2011 PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Winners

THE CONTEST:

The PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Championship is presented by the PEI Potato Board. The competition is open to cooks and/or chefs of PEI Restaurants or accommodation businesses that provide a food service to the public.

The Championship will promote the highest standards for food preparation and presentation of seafood chowders.

Winner receives an automatic bye into the International Chowder Championship, if you possess Red Seal or equivalent/ or are working as a Chef or Sous Chef in a restaurant of catering business.

COMPETITION MANDATE:

To show the public the many ways to enjoy Prince Edward Island potatoes, oysters, mussels, and other Island shellfish, and to have a good time!

THE PRIZE:

• First Place: $1,000.Cash
• Second Place: $250 Cash
  Third Place: $100 Cash
  
• Right to use the PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Championship Seal on menus and other promotions as they relate to the winner’s business.
• Winner receives automatic buy into International Chowder Championship.

PRE-REGISTRATION:

All regional winners must pre-register by August 31, 2012 by filling out online registration form or mailing form to:

Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival
P.O. Box 991, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7M4
Phone: 1-902-370-3397
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Typed recipes must be supplied to the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival at time of registration. The Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival maintains the right to use WINNING recipes in festival promotional activities and will acknowledge chefs accordingly.

All Chefs & Cooks entering the championship must hold a valid Red Seal or equivalent or be working as a Chef or Sous Chef in a restaurant of catering business. Each participant must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the competition.

Registrations are limited and based on a first-come; first-served basis. Late registrations will only be considered if space in the competition is available.

Space is limited. Registrations are based on first-come; first-served. Late registrations will only be considered if space in the competition is available.

All Chefs & Cooks entering the competition must supply at time of registration the PEI International Shellfish Festival with a short bio of themselves for use in publicity programs, and by announcers during the competition. As well recipes must be supplied to the PEI International Shellfish Festival at time of registration.

THE COMPETITION:

The 1st heat of the competition will take place Friday, Sep. 14, 2012 and the 2nd heat taking place on Saturday, Sep. 15th, 201.

THE VENUE:

The PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Championship will take place in the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival Main Tent located on the Historic Charlottetown Waterfront at the foot of Great George Street.

THE CHOWDER:

• The main protein component of the registrant’s chowder must contain ONLY Prince Edward Island shellfish and seafood from the following list: Prince Edward Island flounder, haddock, cod, hake, bar clams, soft shell clams, oysters, cultivated mussels, quahogs, lobster, scallops, halibut, salmon, rock crab and snow crab. No other seafood or shellfish protein components are permitted. This includes items such as canned or bottled clam broth.

• Chowder has to be a traditional Cream-based chowder and feature Canadian dairy products from Canadian cows.

• The registrant’s chowder must contain either PEI Mussels and/or Oysters along with any others from the above list of shellfish or seafood from Prince Edward Island.

• They must be Prince Edward Island Potatoes .

• Presentation materials and/or product (i.e. garnishes, etc.) are permitted (see scoring for points on presentation).

Entries must be prepared in advance using the above criteria and ready to reheat on the spot. Please come well in advance to allow enough time to reheat your chowder so it is ready for the start. A cooking surface to reheat will be supplied, as well as the cups and spoons needed for people to sample your entry will be made available. There will not be access to full kitchen facilities, but final ingredients can be added on site.

Five to seven (5–7) litres of chowder for judging and sampling must be prepared. Chefs will use their own pot and laddle for serving. Assistants to help set-up and serve are welcome.

Proper practices to ensure food safety in the preparation, storage and transportation of your chowder must be observed.

ATTIRE:

Competitors attire and demeanour shall be in keeping with the occasion, representing themselves, their business, their province and any sponsoring organization to the best of their ability.

THE EQUIPMENT:

Competitors are allowed to utilize their own equipment during preparation. A soup bowl will be provided for serving judges.

JUDGES:

There shall be up to five judges who will have considerable experience and/or knowledge of food preparation and service.

SCORING:

Each chowder will be judged on the following points and criteria:
Flavour 1–20
Consistency 1–10
Appearance 1–10
Overall Appeal 1–10
Total Score 50 points

THE WINNER:

The scores from each judge will be tallied and the chowder with the highest total score will be announced by the Master of Ceremonies as the winner of the PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Championship in the evening on Saturday, September 17 and the winner must be in attendance to receive their award.

The PEI International Shellfish Festival has the rights to publish the winning recipe in future promotions as they relate to the Festival.

The winner of the PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Championship must proceed to compete in the prestigious International Chowder Competition, Sunday, September 18th. The International Chowder Competition offers a $2000 first-prize purse plus other benefits.