Calling all Prince Edward Island cooks and chefs to compete for the title of Prince Edward Island Potato Seafood Chowder Champion! The PEI Potato Board presents the Championship which is a tasty way to promote the Island’s top-quality potatoes, oysters, mussels, lobster, and other PEI shellfish and of course, to have a good time!
REGISTRATION CLOSED!
Overview
- Traditional Focus: Participants are required to prepare classic and traditional PEI potato chowders, staying true to the roots of this beloved dish. Contestants should draw inspiration from time-honored recipes and techniques, showcasing the essence of PEI’s culinary heritage.
- Must be a cook and/or chef at a PEI restaurant or catering business that provides a food service to the public
- Must hold a Red Seal Certification or equivalent or be actively working as a Chef or Sous Chef
- Must be 18 years or older
- Competition will take place on main festival stage
- Registration based on first come; first served
Registration
- Space is limited; Late registration only considered based on space availability
- Must supply a short biography for use in publicity programs and by announcers during the competition at time of registration
- Must supply recipes at the time of registration. The PEI International Shellfish Festival reserves the right to use the winning recipe in festival promotional activities and will acknowledge chefs accordingly
- All competitors must arrive at the Festival tent and check in at the designated competition area. Please allow enough time to reheat your chowder so that it is ready at start time
Competition Details
What is provided?
- A cooking surface to reheat your chowder
- Cups and spoons for sampling to the public
- A soup bowl to serve the judges
- There will be no access to full kitchen facilities
What to bring?
- Competitors are allowed to utilize their own equipment during preparation
- Chefs will use their own pot and ladle for serving
- Final ingredients can be added on site
- Assistants to help set up and serve are welcome
Attire
- Must be presentable in keeping with the occasion and representing themselves, the province, and any sponsoring organization to the best advantage
Food Safety
- Proper practices to ensure food safety in the preparation, storage and transportation of your chowder must be observed.
The Chowder
- Seven (7) litres of chowder must be prepared in advance and ready to reheat on the spot for judging and sampling
- Must contain either PEI mussels and/or oysters along with any other shellfish or seafood from Prince Edward Island listed below
- 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. Judges are looking for recipes that showcase competitors’ mastery of traditional PEI Potato Chowder.
- Must be a traditional cream-based chowder and feature Canadian dairy products from Canadian cows.
- Potatoes must be Prince Edward Island Potatoes
- Presentation materials and/or products (i.e. garnishes, etc.) are permitted (see scoring for points on presentation)
Judging
- There will be minimum of 3 judges
- Each judge shall have considerable experience and/or knowledge or food preparation and service
Scoring
- Each competitor in the PEI Potato Seafood Chowder Championship will be judged on the following criteria:
– Flavour /20
– Consistency /10
– Appearance /10
– Overall Appeal /10
– Total Score: 50 points
- Each judge will score the competitors’ chowder based on the above criteria
- The scores 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
- Winner must be in attendance to receive their award
Prize
- 1st Place: $1,000 Cash
- 2nd Place: $250 Cash
- 3rd 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