Gather your team members, cookers, BBQ specialties, and culinary expertise for a weekend of fun competition as we help raise money for the Project Host Soup Kitchen, which provides daily meals to the needy in the Greenville, SC area and the CC Pearce Culinary School, which trains unemployed people in food service. Participation is available to the first 45 teams who register, so mark your calendar and send in your registration form today!

Cooker Announcement & Registration Form 2013

Cooker Competition Rules 2013

Best Wings Ever

This year’s Cook-Off Festival will also provide an opportunity for cooking teams to show off their favorite chicken wings on Friday evening. We are asking all participants to prepare wings for the Chicken Wing Competition. We’ll provide you with wings and napkins for serving our many guests. You just need to fill them with your culinary expertise! Be prepared to provide samples for up to 800 guests.

Public guests will pay $1 for a ticket (1 ticket per sample) that will enable them to sample and judge their favorite wings on Friday evening. (All proceeds will, of course, benefit Project Host.) Your culinary team will be given 10 free wristbands which can be used by the team members, their family members or your team sponsors. However, only the paying guests will be judging the wings. Winning dishes will be announced during Saturday’s awards ceremony.

Saturday guests will pay for a $1 ticket for a tasting or 10 X $1 tickets ($10.00 total) for a plate of BBQ. All cookers are asked to participate in the tasting on Saturday.

Competition Rules

Project Host supplies all the chicken wings, butts, and ribs for the competition.

Each team must supply its own cooking ingredients, grills, utensils, tents, tables, chairs, ice, wood, gas or charcoal, paper supplies, electrical wire/hookups (A 12 gauge minimum is required for optimal efficiency and safety.), etc.

The chief cook for each team must check in at the registration area on Friday, April 27, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., to receive their team’s numbers and cooking area assignment. Team sites are 20 ft. x 20ft. and they will be assigned on a first come first assigned basis.

Cooking sites may be decorated with streamers, banners, flags, and trophies. This is highly encouraged to make the event more festive.

Cooking sites must be clean and ready for DHEC inspections by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26. (See DHEC rules below.)

There will be a mandatory Chief Cooks Meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26, at the stage for a review of the rules and other relevant information in the Project Host Cooker’s booklet, which will be provided to each team before the event.

Teams must be in their sites and prepared to serve guests between 6-10 p.m. on Friday, April 27, for the Chicken Wings Competition. On Saturday morning turn butts at 10:00 a.m. and ribs at 11:00 a.m. Tasting starts at 11:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Let us know if you want to cook more meat Saturday morning.

DHEC Rules:

Aprons must be worn by all cooks and assistants.

Areas must be kept clean and orderly in compliance with the regulations set forth by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control. Team members must maintain a clean appearance.

Cooking areas are to be kept free of trash. Trash cans will be provided by Project Host.

No live animals allowed in cooking areas.

A container of water, hand soup, paper towels, and disinfectant must be in cooking area for hand washing.

An approved probe thermometer is required to check the temperature of the foods.

RVs and Cars

Know that space is limited and there is an $18.00 parking charge – to be submitted with the registration.

All RVs and vehicles belonging to a cooking team must be parked in an assigned area prior to 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27, and removed by 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

RVs and cars may not be moved on Friday after 2:00 p.m. and on Saturday until 4:00 p.m. for the safety of the guests and volunteers.

Teams may not sell food or beverages directly to the public. Only wristbands and tickets can be used to obtain food. (Guests will be able to obtain beer and other beverages at separate sites.)

Under NO circumstances can alcoholic beverages be given out by the team members to the general public or to their guests. Team members are expected to be discreet in consuming any alcoholic beverages themselves.

The chief cook will be held responsible for the conduct of his/her team members and any of their guests.

Teams are required to possess a two-way 10 BC fire extinguisher and to comply with the rules of the Fire Marshall.

All tents must have 50 pound weights attached to each leg. The event will be on a paved parking lot. All tents that cover or are close to cooking grills must be NFPA 701 flame retardant types.

Saturday afternoon clean-up:

Cooking teams are being asked to leave their sites intact until 3:00 p.m. to keep the event grounds looking attractive.

All cookers and other equipment must be removed from the premises at 10:30 p.m.

Teams are responsible for cleaning up in and around their areas before leaving on Saturday.

The Project Host Soup Kitchen and festival organizers assume no responsibility for any cookers delivered to the fair grounds before Friday, April 27, or left after 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

This is a South Carolina Barbeque Association sanctioned event and follows all rules.