So You Think You Can Cook With Garlic

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FOUR SEMI-FINALISTS!

Place your votes now for one of our four lucky semifinalists as they vie for a spot on stage at this year's Garlic Festival. They are Justin Lloyd Cheshier, Laurie Figone, Michael Labrador, and Michaela Mercer Rosenthal. You can see their fantastic video entries and vote for your favorite at http://www.kgoradio.com/article.asp?id=2203537 Voting is open through June 17.

NEW AMATEUR COOKING COMPETITION TO DEBUT

In response to the vows of many of their 3.7 million visitors over 32 years, officials of the Gilroy Garlic Festival have issued the ultimate challenge: “So You Think You Can Cook With Garlic”, an all-comers cooking competition beginning April 4 on Facebook and culminating before a packed audience in the Cook-Off Theater July 29.

The contest is open to amateur chefs age 18 and over who post a video of themselves preparing their recipe on the Festival Facebook page.

The winning chef will receive $810 in cash and the runner-up a $250. gift card from Raley’s / Bel Air Markets / Nob Hill Foods.

The Raley’s chain of grocery stores is the Presenting Sponsor of the 33rd annual Garlic Festival.

“For over three decades Festival guests have attended the Great Garlic Cook-Off or the Garlic Showdown and left muttering under their garlicky breath ‘I’ve got a better recipe than that’,” Recipe Committee Chairperson Deanna Franklin explained. “So, we decided to throw down the gauntlet, or in this case, the cooking mitt.”

The five contestants with the highest number of “liked votes” on Facebook, at the discretion of the Garlic Festival Cook-off Committee, will be posted on www.kgoradio.com on June 6 for online voting through midnight June 17.

The two individuals with the highest number of votes on kgoradio.com will be invited to prepare their recipes on stage July 29 at the Gilroy Garlic Festival

2011 Contest Rules

1.     Contestants must post a video of themselves preparing their recipe on the Garlic Festival Facebook page at Facebook.com/garlicfestival. All video posting must be no longer than five (5) minutes in length.

2.     Video postings will begin on April 9, 2011 and conclude at midnight PDT May 27, 2011.

3.     Contestants must be age 18 and older to submit video.

4.     The contestant will be chosen by the creativity of their garlic recipe, demonstration, appearance, and enthusiasm on camera. 

5.     The five contestants with the highest number of “liked votes” on Facebook, at the discretion of the Garlic Festival Cook-off Committee, will be posted on www.kgoradio.com on June 6, 2011 for online voting through midnight PDT June 17, 2011.

6.     The two individuals with the highest number of votes on kgoradio.com will be notified to prepare their recipes on stage, Friday, July 29, 2011 at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

7.     Contestants must be an amateur home chef. 

8.     Contestants must bring their own food ingredients.

9.     Contestants must bring their own cookware and specialty items; such as a blender, food processor, mixer, etc.

10.  The Garlic Festival does not provide grills.

11.  The contest will start at 2:00 p.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. Friday, July 29, 2011 on stage in the Garlic Festival Cook-Off Theater.

12.  Each contestant will have 60 minutes to prepare their dish and present it to the judges.

13.  Contestants must be prepared to discuss their dish with the judges.

14.  Contestants will be judged on presentation, originality, flavor, texture, and use of garlic.

15.  The winner will be announced at 3:30 p.m.

16.  The Garlic Festival will provide single night hotel accommodations and admission for contestants only.

17.  The winning contestant will receive Eight Hundred and Ten Dollars ($810.00) in cash.

18.  The runner-up will receive a Two Hundred and Fifty Dollar Raley’s / Bel Air Markets / Nob Hill Foods gift card.

Other pertinent information you will need for Friday July 29:

Plan your travel time so that you will arrive in Gilroy by 11:00 a.m. at the latest. A representative will meet you at the Best Western Forest Park Inn, 375 Leavesley Rd., in Gilroy. At that time you will be given your unloading parking pass. We will make arrangements to have someone help you unload your vehicle at the Cook-off Stage and to park your vehicle.