Be this year’s Chef de Riz at the IRF Rice and Creole Cookery Contest

The International Rice Festival is once again calling all rice cooks to showcase “The King and Queen of Grain.”

The Rice and Creole Cookery Contest, an outstanding feature of the International Rice Festival, will be held Friday, Oct. 17, at the Acadia Parish LSU AgCenter, 157 Cherokee Drive in Crowley.  

Rice dishes and recipes must be brought in between 8 and 9 a.m. Judging will begin at 9:30 a.m.

The “food safety rule” will again be in effect this year. All dishes entered must be thoroughly cooked and chilled when brought to the contest for judging. Failure to meet this standard will result in the dish being disqualified. Exceptions include items that would not normally need refrigeration such as cookies and cakes.

Contest divisions are: Adult, Teen, Intermediate and Children’s, with categories in Rice and Meat, Rice and Seafood, Rice Salad/Vegetable/Fruit and Rice Desserts. Prize money and ribbons will be given to the top ten winners in each category.

The Chef de Riz, or Master Rice Cook, will be selected by the first place winners in the eight categories between the Teen and Adult Divisions. A group of judges will select this winner on the basis of his or her dish score and an interview on the knowledge of uses of rice and rice cookery. The winner will be awarded a $100 premium as well as an engraved plaque. This contest is sponsored by the USA Rice Federation.

The Jr. Chef will be selected from the first place winners in the eight categories between the Children and Intermediate Divisions. A group of judges will select the winner on the basis of the dish score and taste. The Jr. Chef will be awarded a $25 premium as well as an engraved plaque. This contest is also sponsored by the USA Rice Federation.

Judges for the contest are: Mike Goss, DeAnn Goss, Candy Leger, Amy Bergeron, Debbie Spallino, Keith Stutes, Carolyn Stutes, Beverly Hains, Johnny Hains, Jimmy Broussard, Lynne Broussard, Ken Goss, Sharon Romero, Nellie Cheek, Sharron Ledoux, Sudie Landry, Stu Barash, Vickie Ramos, Fay Istre, Cheryl Signorelli, Bonnie Hains, David Doutreuil, Jill Villejoin, Mandy Harson, Mary Baronet, Phyllis Crawford, Quincy Cheek, Kitty Winn, Rebecca Hobbs, Roberta Guidry, Ruby Buchanan, Shana Fruge, David Smith and Alissa Smith.