DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 21
FOR 2008 DATE CHEF COMPETITION ENTRIES
Official Entry Forms Online at www.DatesAreGreat.com
INDIO,
CA.
– (March 3, 2008)
The
Call for Entries for professional chefs to
enter the 2008 California Date Chef
Competition has been extended to March 14,
announced Lorrie
Cooper, manager for the
California Date Administrative Committee
Entries must be postmarked or emailed by 5 p.m.
Friday, March 14.
“We experienced a problem with
our interactive online forms,” said Cooper.
“We discovered the last week problem when a
number of chefs called in who were trying to
send in their entry forms.
The problem is corrected and we are
extending the deadline to accommodate any
chefs who would still like to enter.”
Official entry forms are
available online at
www.DatesAreGreat.com or call
1-800-223-8748 to request a facsimile
version.
Among the qualified entries, 15
finalists will be selected to present their
entry for judging at the 2008 California
Date Chef Competition held
Sunday, April 27 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino’s Special Events
Center.
Appetizer, entrée or dessert category
entries must include a color photo and use California date varieties
of Deglet Noor, Halawy, Khadrawy or Zahidi.
Because of federal regulations,
Medjool dates are exempt from the
competition.
Finalists
compete for top prizes in the Appetizer,
Entrée and Dessert categories, as well as
Best of Show and People’s Choice.
Winners take away more than $5,000 in
award money, trophies and the opportunity
for their restaurant to show off the award
winning recipe for a month at their
establishment.
The eighth annual competition is open
only to professional chefs currently
employed by or owners of a restaurant,
catering service, or hotel.
“The professional blind judging takes
place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. when the nine-member panel of chefs, food writers
and experts will taste and evaluate the
finalists’ entries, judging for best use of
dates, originality, flavor, texture and
overall presentation for 100 possible
points,” said Chef Spokesman Freddy Rieger,
executive chef at Fantasy Springs Resort
Casino.
The event is open to the public from
2 – 4:30 p.m. during the Gala Awards
Reception.
Guests are invited to sample all the
entries, visit with the chefs, talk with
Date Industry leaders, and vote for their
favorite to win the People’s Choice Award.
Tickets to the event are $35 per
person and benefit the California Women for
Agriculture’s Culinary Scholarships.
The event is sponsored by the
California Date Administrative Committee and
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Sponsorship opportunities are
available to support the benefit event.
The competition celebrates the partnership
between the Coachella Valley’s
tourism and agriculture industries.
For
further information, call the
CDAC
office at (760) 347-4510 or toll free
800-223-8748.
or visit online at
www.DatesAreGreat.com
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