Chefs Corner

June 2009

MINI-PLATED SALON CULINAIRE
INFOCHEF 2009

In July 2009 at Infochef in Gauteng, the South African Chefs Association will be hosting a Plated Salon Culinaire.

This specialised skill of culinary art will be showcased for visitors to view at the South African Chefs Association offices at the University of Johannesburg, giving chefs an opportunity to display their skills, gain experience in cold table competition work, and attract the attention of National Culinary Team selectors. 

Please see below for the rules and categories of the competition, and attached for the entry form.

RULES OF THE COMPETITION

• The Mini Plated Salon Culinaire is open to both qualified and student chefs.
• Competitors must register with SACA to enter in one or more category by no later than 12:00 on Monday 20 July 2009
• Competition dates are as follows:

Monday 27 July – Senior Day (Chef & Pastry)
Wednesday 28 July - Junior Day (Chef & Pastry)

• The Junior category is open only to students in training to be chefs, pastry chefs in training or apprentice chefs who are not yet qualified.
• The Senior category is open to any professional, qualified chef or pastry chef
• Competitors will be permitted to set up their displays between 8:00 and 9:00 on the relevant day of the competition.
• Judging will take place at 11:00.
• Displays are required to be removed by the competitor at 16:00 on the day of entry.
• The organising committee and SACA will not be responsible or held liable for the display equipment.
• All competitors will receive a certificate of participation and will receive medals according to points achieved as well as 1st, 2nd & 3rd prize overall.
• Judging will be done by accredited SACA judges and judging criteria will follow WACS guidelines.
• Competitors are permitted to enter as many categories or entries as they wish.
• All exhibits must be presented with a printed menu card for the judges and public.
• Prizegiving will take place on Wednesday 29 July at 17h00 after Infochef Senior Day
• Competition guidelines, hints and tips and judging criteria for Salon Culinaire are available on the SACA website – www.saca.co.za, or can be faxed/e-mailed by contacting Nicholas on (011) 482-7250.
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• All entrants must be paid up members of SACA on the day of the competition or can join up or pay all monies on the day of competition.

Junior Day

Individual Entries

Competitors must enter either the junior chef category or the junior pastry chef category.  All dishes can be aspiced,  hot food presented cold. 

Entrants can select one or more of the following.  Each entry will be judged individually:

• One (1) restaurant platter for two (2) people, using meat, game, poultry, fish or shellfish.   A menu which is for a festive occasion, but it should be realistic.
• A three (3) course meal (including either dessert or cheese) for one (1) person.

Recipes and menu cards to be supplied.
All exhibits have to be made out of edible materials.

Senior Day

Competitors must enter either the senior chef category or the senior pastry chef category.  All dishes will be aspiced, hot food presented cold.

Entrants can select one or more of the following. Each entry will be judged individually:

• A festive platter for six (6) people, using meat, game, poultry, fish or shellfish.  A menu which is for a festive occasion, but it should be realistic.
• Six (6) different starters, all different individual cold or hot appetiser plates
• Five (5) courses for one (1) person (including either dessert or cheese)

Recipes and menu cards to be supplied.
All exhibits have to be made out of edible materials.

Pastry  – Junior & Senior

Competitors must enter either the junior pastry or senior pastry chef category.

Junior Pastry Chefs can select one or more of the following. Each entry will be judged individually:

• Four (4) different exclusive plated desserts following a theme of your choice
• A dessert platter for two (2) following a theme of your choice

Senior Pastry Chefs can select one or more of the following. Each entry will be judged individually:

• Four (4) different exclusive plated desserts following a theme of your choice and one to be tasted
• Artistic showpiece with three (3) different friandises (5 each) following a theme of your choice
• Six (6) plated dessert of exaclty the same kind

Recipes and menu cards to be supplied.

All exhibits have to be made out of edible materials.

Criteria for the judging of Junior, Senior & Pastry:

• Every individual exhibit shall be the bona fide work of the competitor.

• The judges have the right to test and examine all exhibits and to extract samples where necessary.
• The decision of the judges in all cases is final.  Competitors have no right to appeal.
• The organising committee will not, under any circumstances, accept responsibility for damage or loss of an exhibit, dishes or personal effects, but all reasonable precautions will be taken to avoid such damage or loss.
• The organisers reserve the right to remove exhibits from the exhibition stand if and when the exhibit has deteriorated beyond acceptable standards, and/or if the exhibitor fails to remove the exhibit at the specified time.
• The exhibitor shall be allowed to “refresh” his exhibit while it remains on display, provided that he does so after the judging has taken place.
• The organising committee has the right to refuse any entry that does not comply with the rules or with any specific requirements or limitations stated under the class number on the grounds that, in the opinion of the organising committee, it does not meet the required standard

For further information contact the South African Chefs Association on (011) 482-7250.  Hints, tips, guidelines and advice can be found on the Competitions page on the SACA website – www.saca.co.za.