Third Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational 

Sooooo, you've decided to join the competition?
Here's what you need to know.

CHEESY CATEGORIES

Cooking Up A Storm
You should enter this category if...
-You are a previous winner
-You are a professional chef
-You are a Grilled Cheese Expert
-Emeril or Nigella call you for cooking tips

Burning Down The House
You should enter this category if...
Nigella and Emeril do not call you, but you make a darn fine grilled cheese sandwich, and your children live to tell about it.

Just Like Mom Used to Make
You should enter this category if...
-You are an artist, and grilled cheese is your canvas
-Your sandwich will have only three ingredients
     Bread (any type)
     Cheese (any type)
     Sandwich Lubricant (oil, butter, lard, or other)

***You may enter one or two categories on the registration page, however, we reserve the right to assign you to a specific category.
(We probably won't do that, but just wanted to let you know that we might.)

What we will provide

Cutting Boards
Sanitation Buckets
Paper Plates
Aprons
Napkins
Griddles
Limited number of propane burners (if you wish to bring your own cooking vessels)

What you need to bring

All your ingredients
Cooler (to keep ingredients cold until it's time to cook)
Pot-holders
Spatulas
Sharp Knives
Your fan club
A menu (at least 5 x 7) with your name (or the team  name) and a description of your sandwich.

What you can bring

Panini-Maker or any type of electric or propane sandwich maker
Props
Costumes
Cocktails
Embellishments
Sides - like ketchup, chutney or anything to go with your sandwich

Details...details...details

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! 

And like the Boy Scouts say, BE PREPARED. The more preparation you complete before you get here, the easier time you will have. for example, you should cut the cheese at home, not in public.

There will be 8 judges. But we're not telling who they are until you get here.
Except for Fifi. She'll be one of the judges. 
And E.J. Harvey.
But we're not telling you who the others are.

Be prepared to make at least 6 sandwiches

Two sandwiches are for the judges, with each one tasting up to one-quarter of a sandwich. One of those shall be prepared for presentation, after which it will be eaten.
Sandwiches will be judged on Presentation, Creativity and Taste.

The other four sandwiches will be cut so audience members can taste them.

Important:  There will be a peoples choice prize given at the end, so the more sandwiches you can make, the more audience members will be able to taste and vote for your fabulous creation.

We are accepting 30 applicants, with a maximum of 10 in each category. 
A team is considered a single applicant.

Previous winners may not enter with the same sandwich recipe.  C'mon! Switch it up a notch!

This is how it's gonna work that day:
All registrants report to the garden center greenhouse by 10:30 on the day of the competition.
You will receive any last minute instructions, a name badge, and a handshake.

The first category competition will begin promptly at 11.

Griddles will be pre-heated.

You will have 30 minutes to prepare (a minimum) of 6 (six) sandwiches.
You may finish at any time before 30 minutes, but at the 30 minute mark, you will step away from the griddle and be prepared to share your sandwich.

If you finish before 30 minutes, you will ring your bell and you and two of your sandwices will be escorted  to the judging stand to present your creation.

Then you get to clean up your station. (We'll help)

When the judges have tasted all the sandwiches from round one, they will have 5 minutes to  make a decision on the winner for that category. Prizes will be awarded, photos will be taken.

The Second category competition begins.

Etc.