The Georgia 4-H Food Showcase, held at Rock Eagle 4-H Center on Saturday, September 21, is comprised of four competitions:
- Egg Chef Demonstration (open to 7th-12th graders)
- Chicken Barbecue Demonstration (open to 7th-12th graders)
- Turkey Barbecue Demonstration (open to 7th-12th graders)
- State Food Challenge for qualifying teams (please see previous post about that team competition)
Egg Chef, Chicken BBQ, and Turkey BBQ contests are individual contests. There are no district-qualifying events. Each contest has a Junior (7th-8th grade) and Senior (9th-12th grade) division. Each county may have up to two contestants per division per contest.
The Egg Chef contest is an individual competition for 7th-12th grade students, where they have up to one hour to create a dish using eggs. After preparation, they present an interactive demonstration about eggs to a panel of judges. All Egg Chef recipes must be submitted on the 2024 Recipe Certification Form to the 4-H Office by August 30, 2024.
The Chicken BBQ contest is an individual competition for 7th-12th grade students, where they have up to two hours to prepare four (4) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1.5-2.0 lb. total) using a charcoal grill. After preparation, they share a presentation about chicken to a panel of judges.
The Turkey BBQ contest is an individual competition for 7th-12th grade students, where they have up to two hours to prepare two (2) turkey patties using a charcoal grill. At least 75% of the weight of the burger ingredients must consist of the ground turkey provided by the contest coordinators. The patties must be a minimum of 1/4 pound (uncooked weight). After preparation, they share a presentation about turkey to a panel of judges.
Egg Chef contestants are provided with an indoor cooking space with a range (stovetop and oven), microwave, and sink. This year, the Egg Chef contest will be in the Gas Building at Rock Eagle. Chicken and Turkey BBQ contestants are provided with an outdoor cooking space and access to a sink.
The State 4-H Office provides chicken thighs, ground turkey, and large eggs for these contests. The contestants must supply all other materials – grills, charcoals, pots and pans, utensils, potholders, ingredients, etc.
To register for this event, students must be current 7th-12th graders. Registration fees for the contest are $22.50 per participant. Register by Friday, August 16 at this link and you will receive contest details following that deadline. Please remember that only two youth can compete in each age division in each of the competitions; registration is not complete until contest payment and required paperwork has been received.
