MARCH 13 is the Deadline to apply for the Challenge Chef Competitors.

Any Michigan Hospitality establishment or school can submit recipes for consideration to enter the Challenge. Chef teams submitting recipes may consist of team members from more than one property.

Entries submitted are to include recipes for a protein (or other appropriate center of the plate), and sides/accompaniments, featuring Michigan products. The “Taste-Off” Competition will expect chosen establishments to prepare and present approximately 300 “sample-sized” (2-3 oz.) portions of their selected entry recipes.   There will be a number of MI wineries/artisan brews represented as well.   The general public will purchase taste tickets that will be used for both food and beer/wine tastes, and will also fill out a ballot to vote for their favorites (“People’s Choice Award).

Teams are divided between Northern MI (north of US-10) and Southern MI, with limited number of slots available. 

Teams are chosen to compete in the “Taste” from recipes submitted, and will be determined by a panel of Chef judges, based on a combination of entry date and recipe entry quality/variety/creativity of products presented, as well as an overall balance of entries to be provided to guests.   Multiple recipe entries by each establishment are allowed.   The focus of this competition will be the use of indigenous Michigan products, matched with MI brews/wines.

Teams competing in the “Taste Competition” will be judged by both the attendees (awarding a “People’s Choice Award”), and a selected panel of judges (which will determine North vs. South competitors).  Saturday's "North vs. South" competition will be formatted similar to the "Iron Chef"™ TV show, as there will be some unknown MI “revealed” products which will be required to be included somewhere in the overall presentation, as well as  a “kitchen” of basic staples available (shown to both regional winners after the Taste competition).