As our cooking challenge has been getting more competitive each week we are now proceeding with shortened blocks, giving all new students a chance to compete as well.
Welcome to the September Block of the Escoffier Boulder Challenge!
The Escoffier Boulder Challenge is a way for Boulder Campus students to show off their cooking skills by participating in a weekly cooking challenge to win gift cards to our favorite local restaurants.
How It Works:
Each Thursday, we announce a new challenge with a featured theme or ingredient. Students prepare a dish that best represents the featured challenge and post a photo of the dish on Instagram using the hashtag #EscoffierBoulderChallenge by the following Wednesday at midnight.
Contest Rules:
Our Chef Instructor judges panel will select three winners based on the following criteria:
- Creativity and implementation of weekly theme/ingredient
- Plating and presentation
- Technique
Weekly Themes:
- Week 1 Challenge – September 24-28: Tomatoes
- Week 2 Challenge – September 29 – October 7: Sweet Corn
- Week 3 Challenge – October 8 – 14: Carrots
- Week 4 Challenge – October 15 – 21: Squash
- Week 5 Challenge – October 22 – 28: Kale
- Week 6 Challenge – October 29 – November 4: Birthday Cake
Awards:
Each week three finalists will receive a gift card to redeem at a predetermined local restaurant or may request an Amazon gift card for the amount of:
- First place: $50
- Second place: $35
- Third Place: $25
- Week One awards are offered to Mercantile
- Week Two awards are offered to River and Woods
- Week Three awards are offered to Mizuna
- Week Four awards are offered to Basta
- Week Five awards are offered to Mercantile
- Week Six awards are offered to Spruce Confections
Week One Winners:
Whether you say toe-may-toe or toe-mah-toe we say congratulations to our Tomato challenge winners. Each will receive a gift card to Mercantile.
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- 1st Place – Amber G – Ode to the Tomato
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- 2nd Place – Noah T – Tomato Confit
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- 3rd Place – Audrianna B – Blistered Herb Tomatoes and Garlic
Week Two Winners:
Our entries were a bit ‘corny’ this week, but we loved them anyway! Congratulations to our Sweetcorn challenge winners. Each will receive a gift card to River and Woods.
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- 1st Place-Audriana B-Sweetcorn Gnocchi
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- 2nd Place-Sarah D-Asian Street Corn
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- 3rd Place-Amber F-Corn Fritters
Week Three Winners:
The harvest was bountiful this week with all our wonderful cool weather garden carrot dish entries. Such a wide variety of tastes and styles. Congrats to all our winners. Each will receive a gift card to Mizuna.
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- 1st Place – Ryan F-Curry Carrot Soup
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- 2nd Place – Jodi C-Carrot Cake
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- 3rd Place – Iana S-Carrot 3 Ways
Week Four Winners:
The creativity for our Squash themed week didn’t disappoint. Congratulations to all our Week Four winners. Each will receive a gift card to Basta.
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- 1st Place – Audrianna B-Roasted Acorn Squash
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- 2nd Place – Hailey P-Stuffed Butternut Squash
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- 3rd Place – Tina S-Mediterranean Yellow Squash
Week Five Winners:
Congratulations to our Week Five kreative Kale konnoisseurs. These dishes are fresh, innovative and beautiful. Each will receive a gift card to Mercantile.
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- 1st Place – Amber G-Kale Soup
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- 2nd Place – Amber F-Kale Pesto Pasta
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- 3rd Place – Luke C-Zuppa Toscana
Week Six Winners:
Congratulations to our final September block winners. As we celebrated Auguste’s birthday on the 28th, we thought that a birthday cake challenge was in order and the entries blew the candles out for sure! Each will receive a gift card to Spruce Confections.
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- 1st Place – Amber G-Lemon Curd and Swiss Buttercream Layer Cake
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- 2nd Place – Audriana B-Chocolate Turtle Layer Cake
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- 3rd Place – Tina S-Pina Colada Cake
