Competition Categories

The categories of the Competition are Sichuan cuisine, Shandung cuisine, Cantonese Cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine and Northeastern China cuisine (Heilongjiang province, Jilin province and Liaoning province.) Each contestant can select only one category to compete in.

Required Dishes

The required dishes are all traditional dishes. Contestants are required to employ traditional culinary techniques in preparing them.  All materials and ingredients will be provided by the Competition. The required dishes for the 5 cuisine categories are: 

• Sichuan cuisine:
  - Ma-po Tofu (preliminary)
  - Poached Beef slices in Hot Chili Oil (final).
• Shandung cuisine:
  - Scallion Braised sea-cucumber (preliminary);
  - Sauce-glazed whole fish (final).
• Cantonese cuisine:
  - Steamed grouper (preliminary);
  - Seafood eggplant casserole (final).
• Huaiyang cuisine:
  - Preserved Cabbage with Soy Bean and Baiye (tofu sheet) (preliminary);
  - Squirrel fish (final)
• Northeastern China cuisine:
  - Sautéed hot pepper and Baiye (tofu Sheet) (Preliminary);
  - Chicken mushroom stew (final) 

Self-selected Dishes

For self-selected dishes, contestants are required to select from the list of traditional Chinese cuisine dish to be provided by the Competition. The list will be found on the competition website (Culinary.ntdtv.com) as well as in the Registration Form.  Contestants are to prepare the ingredients and materials themselves. The Competition will provide basic Chinese seasonings such as salt, cooking oil, soy sauce, sugar, etc.

Requirements: 

1. 1. Contestants are required to produce food in the most traditional sense with distinguishable features and characteristics particular to that dish, geographic region, and cuisine style.
2. 2. The finished dishes must present excellent knife skills, adherence to traditions, and great cooking techniques.
3. 3. Each contestant can compete in one cuisine category only.
4. 4. When a contestant advances to finals, his/her self-selected dish in the final round must differ from the preliminary round.
5. 5. Each finished dish is judged individually. Scores in the preliminaries are not carried into the finals.
6. 6. Pre-competition preparation time is allowed to the extent it is for preparation purpose only. For instance, food and ingredients can be washed, soaked, or pre-marinated but cutting, seasoning/use of spices, or cooking is not allowed.
7. 7. Any contestant who needs extra preparation time before the competition should make a request on the application form and get approval from the Judges. Extra preparation time may be granted depending on the situation.
8. 8. No use of any chemicals, preservatives, or additives is allowed in this Competition, including the use of MSG.
9. 9. All ingredients brought into the Competition for self-selected dishes will be examined by the Competition examiners appointed by the Judges prior to the competition.
10. 10.  If a contestant does not finish all the work within the competition time, he will receive scores only for the dishes actually completed.  Incomplete dishes are not judged or scored. No extra-time is allowed.
11. 11. This is a traditional cuisine competition focusing on traditional Chinese cooking techniques. Decoration and carving are not part of the judging criteria. Anyone who uses non-traditional means for decorations or spends a lot of time on decorations will receive deduction from their total scores.
12. 12. The required serving size for each dish is 12-person servings, 10 servings on a presentation platter and 2 servers for judges to taste.
13. 13. Preparation of each dish can be done only once.
14. 14. This is a competition for individuals only. Contestants are not allowed to bring assistants.

Panel of Judges

1. 1. The judges will be composed of experts in the field of traditional Chinese culinary art.
2. 2. The Judges will assign an examiner to each contestant to oversee his/her the Competition process.
3. 3. The Judges will use the Quality Control Card provided by the contestants at the time of registration as a reference to their judging
4. 4. The Competition examiners are responsible for recording violations during the Competition and making recommendations on score deduction to the Judges.

Evaluation Process

1. 1. Each finished course is evaluated independently.
2. 2. Scores by all 5 judges will be totaled. The average score is the final score of a contestant.
3. 3. Deductions will be made to the average score for the following infractions:

• Not wearing official chef’s uniform and hat issued by the Competition
• The use of unauthorized spices, preservatives, or additives
• Being loud and noisy at the Competition site
• Not being punctual
• Mix of raw and cooked ingredients, littering of leftover material, failure to keep the working area clean
• Using other contestants’ ingredients and stock.
• Revealing the contestants’ name on uniform.
• Starting the Competition early.
• Smuggling outside, pre-cooked food into the Competition
• Any dish not complete before the finish bell doesn’t receive scores
• Mistakes committed during the preparation time will be recorded by the examiners present; then a deduction will be made by the general examiner.
• Deductions for serious infractions can be suggested by the general examiner, while permission for deductions is granted by the head of the Panel of Judges.

Evaluation Criteria

A perfect score is 100. Each dish will be judged and scored separately in two areas: production process and quality of the finished food.

• Preparation Process (20%)

Material preparation, workspace sanitation, personal hygiene, attitude, professionalism, traditional techniques used   

• Quality of the finished dish (80%)

- Appearance – portion, shape, color, knife skills, balance between main ingredients and supplemental garnishes, amount of juice/sauce, presentation on the serving platter, etc.
- Taste – Taste unique to the dish and cuisine style is distinguishable, balanced flavors, authentic, leading flavors standing out.
- Texture – Correct use of fire and fire temperature, materials appropriately cut, food exhibits unique texture consistent with the characteristics of the dish.

Competition Procedure

The mission of this Competition is to revive tradition Chinese cuisines and culinary techniques. Consequently, the required and self-selected dishes published by the Competition are traditional Chinese cuisine dishes only. Contestants are required to demonstrate adherence to traditions during the Competition. 

• Preliminaries: Each contestant is required to prepare one self-selected dish and one required dish within 45 minutes, based on their cuisine category. Winners will advance to the finals.
• Finals: Each contestant is required to prepare one self-selected dish and two required-dishes within 60 minutes, based on their cuisine category.  Self-selected dishes in the finals must be different from the preliminaries.
• Basic equipment & seasoning: The Competition will provide the following basic kitchen equipment, supplies, and seasonings:
  - Chinese range, cutting boards for raw and cooked food, kitchen table, wok, shovel, casserole pot, steamer, big serving platter, small serving platter, and general kitchen utensils.
  - Salt, sugar, cooking wine, vinegar, soy sauce, corn starch, scallions, ginger, garlic, Chinese pepper power, vegetable oil, eggs.
• Awards Presentation
  - All contestants will receive a certificate of participation.
  - All finalists from Asia Pacific preliminaries will receive a certificate of recognition
  - All winners of the North American preliminaries will be announced at the end of the preliminaries.
  - Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will jointly prepare the Award Ceremony Banquet. The banquet menu will be set by the Competition. Materials for the banquet will be provided to the chefs by the Competition. The banquet will be held the day after the finals. 

Miscellaneous 

1. 1. All contestants are required to attend the orientation and walk-through session before the  competition.
2. 2. All finalists are required to attend the award ceremony banquet. Winners who are absent at the award ceremony voluntarily forfeit their awards.
3. 3. Contestants should abide by the rules and regulations of the Competition.
4. 4. Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will jointly prepare the Award Ceremony Banquet. The banquet menu will be set by the Competition. Materials for the banquet will be provided to the chefs by the Competition. The banquet will be held the day after the finals.
5. 5. The Organization Committee reserves to right to revoke the eligibility of a contestant’s participation and award in case of violation.
6. 6. The decisions of the Competition Judges are final, and there is no process of appeal.
7. 7. The Competition organizer owns the exclusive copyright of all photos, videos, and recipes from the Competition, which the Organizer is entitled to use in video, TV programs, website and printed material.
8. 8. The Competition Organizer is the ultimate authority to interpret the rules of the competition and has the right to make changes in the Rules and Regulations of the Competition at any time.