I’ve been fascinated with recipe contests and the people who enter them ever since I read the book Cookoff: Recipe Fever in America by Amy Sutherland last spring. To the uninitiated, these types of events are often viewed as lighthearted promotions meant to increase brand recognition. However, with lucrative prizes and thousands of dollars at stake, the truth of the matter is that recipe development has grown into a serious sport.

The major players, also known as “contesters,” are extremely calculated in their approach. Each recipe is well thought out, taking into account previous winning recipes and current food trends, and is aptly titled for maximum effect. It’s not unheard of for a dedicated competitor to submit dozens of entries for a single contest, especially for the big ones like the Pillsbury Bake-Off, the prize is a cool million dollars.

This past weekend, I took part in the Dole California Cook-Off held at the Epicurean School of Culinary Arts in Los Angeles. I was one of five food bloggers invited to assist the five finalists as they prepared their recipes for Ben Ford, chef and proprietor of Ford’s Filling Station, to judge. Narrowed down from a field of over 4,000 entries, the finalists were a mix of first-time entrants and seasoned contesters. The prize up for grabs was $1,000 and the opportunity to have their recipe printed on the back of Dole’s products.

I was paired up with a fellow named Harold Cohen from Hollywood, Florida. He’s a former plastic surgeon, legally blind, and feisty like you wouldn’t believe. He previously took home $25,000 for his Pimento Cheese Burger on the Food Network’s “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” and came in second the following year with his Alabama Smokehouse Pig Burger with White Barbecue Sauce. Needless to say, this man is dedicated to perfecting the art of the burger.

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