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rules & guidelines Please review all rules & guidelines below prior to the Jr. Iron Chef event. If you have any questions please contact us.
team guidelines
  • Each team is 3-5 students and 1 adult Team Supervisor.
  • Teams can be a combination of 6th-8th grades or 9th-12th grades. There will be 2 age divisions.
  • Each team must have an Adult Team Supervisor who is present for the duration of the competition. Team Supervisors must be a parent, guardian or school representative. Requests must be made in advance for organizer volunteers.
  • Each team is also permitted, but not required to have a Team Coach. The Team Coach could be a food service professional, chef, or foodie who helps the team create and practice a recipe in preparation for the event. (Please see Team Coach Description for additional details.)
  • Only students may cook during the competition. The Team Supervisor and/or Coach may provide hands-off guidance in cooking techniques and safety.
  • All recipes must be submitted to the Junior Iron Chef, Kansas City prior to the event.
  • All preparation and cooking must happen onsite, during the competition portion of the event. Teams are allowed to practice making their dish prior to the event, but may not bring any prepared components of the dish to the competition. Keeping in mind, dishes should fit into food service time demands. For example, it is not practical to make tortillas from scratch in the time allotted. In that case, you may use store bought tortillas.
  • No Desserts are allowed
  • Dishes may NOT contain peanuts, tree nuts or shellfish.
  • Any savory item is permitted including entrees, side dishes, soups, sandwiches, salads, finger foods and snacks.

Entry Fee

There is $50.00 entry fee for each team. Entry fees should be paid by check payable to:
AAFA-KC

Scholarships are available to those who qualify. To request a scholarship, please email info@juniorironchefkc.org.

Permission Slip/Release Form

Each team member must submit a signed Parental Permission and Release Form.

Team Entry Fee and Permission Forms must be postmarked within two weeks of submitting the on-line application, or your application will be erased and you will need to reapply.

Send checks (made out to AAFA-KC) and permission forms to:

AAFA-KC
400E. Red Bridge Road, Suite 214
Kansas City, MO 64131

Download a PDF version of team guidelines here.

recipe submittal

Teams must submit the recipe they will be cooking at the competition for review prior to the event. Junior Iron Chef, Kansas City challenges teams to create a healthy, delicious, food allergy friendly dish. Recipes will be checked for the following cooking criteria:

  • Taste: Is the flavor delicious? Is it kid-friendly?
  • Appearance: How does the dish look on the presentation plate? Is it appealing to the eye?
  • Creativity: Is this an original recipe? Is the presentation creative?
  • Food Allergy Friendly: Dishes may NOT contain peanuts, tree nuts or shellfish. Extra points will be given for excluding other top food allergens (soy, wheat, fish, eggs, and milk.)
  • Healthy: Are your ingredients nutrient dense? Are nutrient dense foods highlighted in your recipe?
  • Replicable: Can this dish be replicated by others? Is the recipe time/cost affordable?
  • Any savory item is permitted including entrées, side dishes, soups, sandwiches, salads, finger foods and snacks.
  • No desserts are allowed.
  • Dishes may NOT contain peanuts, tree nuts or shellfish.
  • Adherence to all Junior Iron Chef, Kansas City Competition rules.

After 60 minutes of cooking time, teams will present two plates. One will go to the judges for evaluation and one will be put on display for attendees to see.

equipment

Junior Iron Chef, Kansas City WILL provide:

  • Aprons for all team members
  • Food service gloves
  • Hairnets
  • Taste-test serving utensils for judging
  • Table covers

All teams MUST bring:

  • Cleaning supplies. There will be no dish cleaning on location
  • Dish cloths and paper towels
  • Heavy-duty (at least 12-gauge) 3-prong extension cord

Teams MAY bring:**

  • A bucket for trash and compost
  • Electric Heating tools are allowed* NO GAS OR OPEN FLAME TOOLS ARE ALLOWED!
  • Blender and/or food processor*
  • Non-electric hand tools (e.g., immersion blenders, whisks, mixing spoons, etc.)
  • Cooking pots and pans
  • Cutting boards and knives
  • Pot-holders and trivets
  • 2-3 gallons of water for cooking Note: There is no water available for cooking or cleaning at the competition.
  • Hats and/or uniforms
  • Team signs/decor to put on your cooking station
  • Copies of your recipe for the audience
  • Your own plates/utensils for judging presentation

* If you are bringing an electric utensil (e.g., blender, food processor, etc.) you MUST bring a heavy-duty 3-prong extension cord

** All team equipment should be labeled with your team name

Teams MAY NOT bring:

  • Any gas or open flame heating tools
  • Microwaves: The competition cannot support this type of electric demand.

If you have questions about competition tools, equipment and/or need help acquiring equipment, please contact the coordinators at info@juniorironchefkc.org.

tips

Lead judge Chef Ben Griswold gives his top culinary competition tips!

  • Be Organized- Keep your work space organized, if it does not be used right away do not have it on your table. All team members must have specific duties that all come together when it is time to plate.
  • Work Clean and Sanitary- Avoid cross contamination at all cost, keep raw proteins away from ready to eat foods. Cook all foods to the proper internal temperatures. Change gloves often. Avoid wiping hands on apron, jackets or pants. Do not touch your face. Use disposable tasting spoons when tasting food, and always "Clean as you go". Wash your hands before competition and after handling raw proteins.
  • Taste Your Food-Always taste your food throughout the cooking process and adjust seasonings as needed. Do not forget to use salt and pepper.
  • Balance is Very Important-Make sure that your dish has the proper balance and flavor profiles. The proper amount of meat to starch and vegetable ratio is also very important. When garnishing the plate, the garnish must tie into ingredients that are in the dish, do not throw parsley on the dish just to have a garnish.
  • Proper Portion Size-Proteins should be 3-4 ounces, starches and vegetables 2 ounces each, sauces, condiments and garnish 1/2-1oz
  • Don't over fill the Plate-Leave white space when plating, negative space is just as important when plating. Don't hide the proteins with too much sauce or garnish.
  • Use a Variety of Textures-Properly composed dishes will have a variety of textures, these textures can be achieved through the cooking process or can be a separate components such as creamy/crunchy or hot and cold.
  • Color-Keep color to 3-5 colors or shades of the same color, excess use of color can lead to a very confusing plate
  • Use Seasonal Ingredients-Seasonal ingredients just taste better
  • Have Fun!-Be ready to engage the judges as they come to your stations
  • Teams are encouraged to Use Original Recipes-If you are using a recipe from a known source, you must credit that source
  • Think Substitutes-Recipes that use summer produce can often be made with winter vegetables instead. For example. zucchini and peppers in your favorite chili recipe could be replaced with a mixture of root crops
  • Consult the Experts-Talk to your school food service staff, local chefs and your friends and family to get recipe ideas
Judging

Overall Judging Criteria 6th-8th grade and 9th-12th grade:

Knife Skills

  • Consistency
  • Accuracy
  • Safety

Team Presentation/Organization


Team Appearance
  • Uniform clean & presentable
  • Hard sole shoes
  • Hats and aprons (provided)
  • Team uniformity

Work Organization/Teamwork
  • Workload evenly distributed
  • Team cohesiveness
  • Communication
  • Professionalism
  • Proper time management

Safety and Sanitation


Follows Safety and Sanitation Procedures
  • Proper use and handling of food contact surfaces
  • Avoidance of cross contamination
  • Work area cleaned in appropriate time frame

Finished Product


Appearance
  • Proper use of color
  • Shape
  • Texture
  • Portion size

Taste

  • A subjective category based on judge's expertise

Replicable

  • Can recipe be replicated by others
  • Is recipe time/cost affordable

Healthy

  • <525 calories
  • <35% of total calories from fat
  • Includes at least one powerhouse food: apple, avocado, beans, blueberry, broccoli, cinnamon , garlic, honey, kiwi, low fat yogurt, oats, onions, orange, pomegranate, pumpkin, spinach or tomato

Allergy Friendly

  • None of the top 3 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish)
  • Excludes other top food allergens (1 extra point for each excluded allergen)
  • Milk, egg, soy, wheat, fish

Most Creative Judging Criteria

  • Artistic
  • Colorful (proper use of colors)
  • Plating
  • Creative Use of Ingredients
  • Allergy Friendly
    • None of the top 3 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish)
    • Excludes other top food allergens (1 extra point for each excluded allergen)
    • Milk, egg, soy, wheat, fish
awards & prizes
  • The 6th-8th grades will compete for an overall winner which will be awarded $1000
  • The 9th-12th grades will compete for an overall winner which will be awarded $1000
  • All dishes will be combined for the most creative recipe and presentation and will be awarded $1000
  • The overall winners in each age group are not eligible for the most creative award as their second prize

location & schedule

Union Station, Kansas City, MO
Friday June 7th, 2013

Check In: 1:00 - 2:30 PM

Team Setup: 1:00 PM

Cooking: 1:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Judging/Clean-up: 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Awards: 4:45 PM