Basket Blitz Cook-Off

Step into the heat with a challenge that is anything but ordinary! In Basket Blitz, you will receive a basket full of mystery ingredients. Blind judging keeps the competition fair and fierce. Are you ready to turn chaos into cuisine?

This is a culinary experience for those who sit on the couch, watching cooking competitions, and thinking to themselves, “I can do that!” or “I could never do that, but it would be fun to try!”

In the Basket Blitz Cook-Off, you will receive a pre-selected basket of ingredients, be given time to plan and strategize, then use a given cooking time. You will end the competition by plating your dish and presenting it to the judges.

The Competition

The Challenge: Make a dish using the ingredients in the box and a limited pantry. This challenge requires six to eight participants for a team challenge. Each event will have a chosen theme.

The Process: After dividing into teams, receive your basket, shop the pantry, and prepare a dish within a given time limit. Basket ingredients will vary based on theme.

The Judging: Your dishes will be judged blindly by up to three judges.

The Details: Participants are greeted with an appetizer and soft drinks upon arrival. After listening to the rules of the competition, participants will draw knives to split into teams. All experiences start with a warm-up competition — either a Taste Trial, or a Mise en Place Mayhem challenge. Winners will receive an advantage in the main competition! For the main event, teams will receive a mystery basket with fifteen items in it. They will then have access to a limited pantry to supplement their ingredients. Teams will get five minutes to plan their dish, five minutes to gather items from the pantry, then 45-60 minutes to cook, depending on the theme. After an extra five minutes to plate, the judge(s) will be introduced. Contestants will be able to watch the judging, but without indicating their dishes. Following judging, contestants will get to try all the other teams’ dishes and rate them.

Themes:

Calzone Collision

Bold Fillings. Big Flavor. One Dough to Rule Them All.Step into the ring for Calzone Collision, where strategy meets saucy creativity. In this stuffed showdown, teams will go head-to-head crafting crave-worthy calzones that deliver on taste, texture, and innovation. From savory classics to surprising mashups, every fold and crimp counts. Will your team master the dough and bring home the golden bake?

Stuffed and Saucy

A Battle of Fillings, Flavor, and FlairThis is no ordinary pasta night. In Stuffed and Saucy, teams will build from scratch — crafting tender pasta or dough, inventing bold fillings, and pairing them with standout sauces that tie it all together. Whether it’s ravioli, dumplings, or something unexpected, the pressure is on to create something that bursts with flavor. Will your dish be the one that wows?