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Tapas Recipe Contest

Official Rules

Tapas From Coast To Coast Recipe Contest For Professional Chefs and Culinary Students Official Rules

 

INTRODUCTION:

Tapas from Coast to Coast is the theme for this year’s “Taste of Spain” recipe contest sponsored and organized by Foods from Spain, part of the Trade Commission of Spain in New York. Culinary professionals and student chefs will be invited to create simple, “small plates” dishes, both savory and sweet using featured ingredients from Spain.

1. ELIGIBILITY

The Tapas From Coast To Coast Recipe Contest For Professional Chefs and Culinary Students (the "Promotion") is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including District of Columbia) who are at least eighteen (18) years old as of June 1, 2007 and are culinary professionals (this only includes teachers of culinary arts, professional chefs, pastry chefs, sous chefs, or lead line cooks at restaurants and other commercial foodservice establishments, professional caterers and professional recipe developers) and culinary students (individuals who are currently enrolled as full time students in a culinary school). A “Professional” is defined as someone who earns at least Seventy Percent (70%) of their annual income from the services in which they are a professional. Administrator may request evidence to prove eligibility. Sponsor and/or Administrator have sole discretion to determine who is eligible. Sponsor and/or Administrator may request entrant to provide documentation which verifies eligibility. Void in Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories and possessions and where prohibited by law. Employees of the Trade Commission of Spain, MacKenzie Agency, or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, or any other company or individual involved with the design, production execution or distribution of the Promotion and their immediate family (spouse, parents and step-parents, siblings and step-siblings, and children and step-children) and household members (people who share the same residence at least three (3) months out of the year) of each such employee are not eligible. The Promotion is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Participation constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Administrator's decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Promotion. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. The Promotion consists of a contest (the "Contest").

2. SPONSOR AND ADMINISTRATOR

Sponsor: Foods from Spain, Trade Commission of Spain, 405 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10174-44499. Administrator: MacKenzie Agency, 3765 Brickway Blvd., Suite 101, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

3. TIMING

The Promotion begins on June 1, 2007 at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time ("EDT") and ends on August 31, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. EDT (the "Promotion Period"). Administrator's computer is the official time keeping device for this Promotion.

4. HOW TO ENTER

During the Promotion Period, visit www.tasteofspaincontest.com and fill out the online entry form completely by providing your name, address, phone number, email address, whether you are a culinary professional or culinary student and other required fields. Then submit a simple, delicious tapas recipe that prominently features two or more of the ingredients listed below (the “Recipe”). Whether you choose to highlight two special ingredients or combine several, the featured ingredients from Spain must really shine in the Recipe. Dishes don't have to be Spanish in nature, and may be sweet or savory. Recipe must contain two or more of the following authentic ingredients imported from Spain: Olive Oil from Spain (preferred brands are Betís, Caroliva, Castillo de Tabernas, Columela, La Amarilla de Ronda Suave, L’Estornell, Núñez de Prado, Pons and Zoe), Cheese from Spain, Jamon Serrano, Olives, Pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika), Piquillo Peppers, Saffron, or Sherry Wine Vinegar. Recipe must be original, of entrant’s own style and creation. Recipe must not have been entered in any other competition or violate the rights of other parties. Recipe which judges determine to be offensive or defamatory will be disqualified. Participant assigns and transfers to Sponsor all rights, title and interest to the Recipe. Recipe must be in English. Eligible entrants may submit as many recipes as they like during the Promotion Period. All Recipes become the sole and exclusive property of Administrator and Sponsor and will not be returned.

5. WINNER SELECTION

For Culinary Professionals

Round 1
Each recipe submission will initially be ranked by COPIA (The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts) based on the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (33 1/3%)
  2. Simplicity (33 1/3%)
  3. Originality (33 1/3%)

COPIA will narrow down the submissions to the top twenty (20) recipes. 

Round 2
Each of the twenty (20) recipes determined in Round 1 will be prepared into a Dish and evaluated by COPIA professionals based on the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (20%)
  2. Simplicity (20%)
  3. Originality (20%)
  4. Taste (20%)
  5. Appearance (20%)

A total of Ten (10) Semi-Finalists will be determined in Round 2.

Round 3
The Ten (10) Semi-Finalists will then have their Dishes prepared by COPIA and presented to consumers and a professional judging panel at the “Taste of Spain” weekend at COPIA on September 22-23, 2007. The Ten (10) Semi-Finalists Dishes will be ranked by the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (20%)
  2. Simplicity (20%)
  3. Originality (20%)
  4. Taste (20%)
  5. Appearance (20%)

Judges will determine four (4) Finalists.

Cook-Off-Finale
After the four (4) Finalists Dishes are determined, ADMINISTRATOR will contact each of the Finalists on or about September 25, 2007. The four (4) Finalists will be flown to New York, NY on Wednesday October 24, 2007 (subject to conditions set forth below regarding prizing) for a cook-off on October 26th at the International Culinary Center. There the individual entrant will be supplied with all equipment and resources to prepare his or her Recipe into a Dish. The four (4) Finalists Dishes will then be ranked during the COOKOFF by the judging panel (determined by ICC and ADMINISTRATOR) based on the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (20%)
  2. Simplicity (20%)
  3. Originality (20%)
  4. Taste (20%)
  5. Appearance (20%)

The Professional Grand Prize Winner, Second Place, Third Place and Fourth Place Winners will be announced by the judges at the COOKOFF on October 26th, 2007. 

For Culinary Students

Round 1
Each recipe submission will initially be ranked by COPIA based on the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (33 1/3%)
  2. Simplicity (33 1/3%)
  3. Originality (33 1/3%)

COPIA will then narrow down the submissions to the top ten (10) recipes and will prepare each into a dish.

Round 2
Each of the recipes will be evaluated by COPIA professionals based on the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (20%)
  2. Simplicity (20%)
  3. Originality (20%)
  4. Taste (20%)
  5. Appearance (20%)

Up to a total of Ten (10) Semi-Finalists will be determined in Round 2 by COPIA judges. 

Round 3
The Ten (10) Semi-Finalist recipes will then have their Dishes prepared by ICC (International Culinary Institute) professionals in New York City. The Ten (10) Semi-Finalists Dishes will be ranked by the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (20%)
  2. Simplicity (20%)
  3. Originality (20%)
  4. Taste (20%)
  5. Appearance (20%)

ICC Judges will determine Five (5) Finalists.

Final Round
Finalists Dishes will be prepared by ICC chefs and the Five (5) Finalists Dishes will then be ranked during the COOKOFF by the judging panel (determined by ICC and ADMINISTRATOR) based on the following criteria:

  1. Effective use of specified Spanish ingredients (20%)
  2. Simplicity (20%)
  3. Originality (20%)
  4. Taste (20%)
  5. Appearance (20%)

The Student First, Second and Third Place Winners will be announced by the judges on or about October 26th, 2007.  Winners will be notified on or about October 29th, 2007. 

For Professional and Students recipes: In the event of a tie in any round, winner will be selected based on the criteria described in (a), then (b), then (c), then (d) (if applicable) and finally (e) (if applicable).

All Winners will be posted to the Taste of Spain website on or about November 1, 2007.

6. ALL POTENTIAL CONTEST WINNERS ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY ADMINISTRATOR WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE PROMOTION.

7. Verification of Potential Winners

Potential winners must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. The potential winners will be notified by email, telephone, or registered mail after the date of the judging. The potential winners will be required to sign and return to Administrator, within ten (10) days of the date notice is sent, an affidavit of eligibility, and liability/publicity release (except where prohibited) in order to claim his/her prize if applicable. If a potential winner of any prize cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release within the required time period (if applicable), or if the prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize. In the event that a potential winner of a contest prize is disqualified for any reason, Administrator may award the applicable prize to an alternate winner who had the highest score remaining of the eligible entries.

8. Prizes

All Four Finalists will receive the following Prize Package to New York, NY: A 3-day/2-night trip to New York, NY, including round-trip air transportation to/from major gateway airport nearest winner's home to airport within fifty (50) miles of New York, NY (coach class), hotel accommodations (standard room), transportation between hotel and International Culinary Center for cookoff and a Five Hundred Dollar ($500) allowance for food, ground transportation and incidentals. All expenses and incidental travel costs not expressly stated in the package description above, including but not limited to, personal charges at lodging, security fees, taxes or other expenses or incidentals are the responsibility solely of winner.

In addition the Finalists will receive the following monetary cash prize based on the Finalists Dish Ranking:

  1. Professional Grand Prize Finalist: Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000)
  2. Professional First Runner-Up Finalist: Twenty Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500)
  3. Professional Second Runner-Up Finalist: Fifteen Hundred Dollars ($1,500)
  4. Professional Third Runner-Up Finalist: One Thousand Dollars ($1,000)
  5. Student First Prize: One Thousand Dollars ($1,000)
  6. Student Second Prize: Seven Hundred Dollars ($700)
  7. Student Third Prize: Five Hundred Dollars ($500)

All Winners (Professional and Student) will also receive: Cookware from Fagor, Simone Ortega’s 1080 Recipes, the bible of authentic Spanish Cooking, Carmencita Saffron, Spanish products from Source Atlantique, a $75 one year membership to COPIA, the American Center for Food and Wine, located in Napa, California.

For All Prizes: One prize per person. No cash equivalent for the prizes, prizes are non transferable and no substitution will be made except as provided herein at the Administrator's sole discretion. Administrator reserves the right to substitute any listed prize for one of equal or greater value for any reason. Winners are responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use. 

9. Entry Conditions and Release

By entering, each participant agrees to: (a) comply with and be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Administrator, Sponsor and/or the Contest judges which are binding and final in all matters relating to this Contest; (b) release and hold harmless the Sponsor and the Administrator and each of their respective parents, subsidiary, and affiliated companies, the prize suppliers and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Contest and Promotion, and all of their respective past and present officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, including but not limited to invasion of privacy (under appropriation, intrusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light in the public eye or other legal theory), defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a participant's entry, creation of an entry or submission of an entry, participation in the Contest and Promotion, acceptance or use or misuse of prize (including any travel or activity related thereto) and/or the broadcast, exploitation or use of entry; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Sponsor and the Administrator from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or relating to an entrant’s participation in the Contest and Promotion and/or entrant’s acceptance, use or misuse of prize.

10. Publicity

Except where prohibited, participation in the Promotion constitutes winners consent to Sponsor’s and its agents' use of winner's name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.

11. General Conditions

Administrator reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Promotion, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Administrator's reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Contest, as determined by Administrator in its sole discretion. Administrator reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Administrator reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Administrator's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

12. Limitations of Liability

The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Promotion or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. If for any reason an entrant's entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrant's sole remedy is another entry in the Contest. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded.

13. Disputes

Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prizes awarded, other than those concerning the administration of the Contest or the determination of winners, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved exclusively by the United States District Court or the appropriate California State Court located in Sonoma County, California; (iii) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (iv) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Promotion, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of California or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of California.

14. Entrant's Personal Information

Information collected from entrants is subject to the Sponsor's Privacy Policy.

15. Promotion Results

For Promotion results send a hand-printed, self-addressed, stamped envelope to Tapas From Coast To Coast Recipe Contest For Professional Chefs and Culinary Students, c/o MacKenzie Agency, 3765 Brickway Blvd., Suite 101, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Requests for the winner list must be received by December 1, 2007. DO NOT SEND ANY OTHER CORRESPONDENCE OR ENTRIES TO ADDRESS.

© 2007, A TASTE OF SPAIN RECIPE CONTEST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.