WILD GAME COOKOFF

We are very excited to be hosting a Wild Game Cookoff during our Small Game Bootcamp!! This will be fun addition to the festivities and we expect it will certainly draw a crowd! This year, we're asking teams to put RABBIT on the menu and come with your best rabbit recipe! We do have a few extras if people need them, but supplies are limited so request some quick! 

We have some sweet prizes to give away! All teams that enter will receive a gift bag from one of our National BHA partners, Waltons! We also have a nice 12" Carbon Fry from Made In to place into the prize packages too!

Best of all, for the first place winner, we have a sweet 8" culinary knife from Boothill Blades ($500 value) AND we have confirmed a FREE entry into the World Champion Squirrel Cookoff held on September 7th in Springdale, Arkansas! Check out a 2023 recap video HERE.

Cost: $25/team and tickets can be purchased at the bottom of the main Small Game Bootcamp page. CLICK HERE to be redirected back. 

If you have questions about the Wild Game Cookoff, please contact Jameson Hibbs at: [email protected]

We HIGHLY encourage folks to pre-register for this event so that we can plan accordingly!! 

TIMELINE

10:30 – 11:45 - Team Booth Set Up

12 - 1:30 - Booth Judging; Be Creative!! 

12:00 – 1:30 Cooking Period; teams will cook for one hour, and begin in increments of 10 minutes. 

1:15 – 2pm Judging: Awards will be presented at the closing ceremony! 

Attendees will be judging for the best decorated booth space AND best plate presentation! Winners will receive prizes and extra points toward their overall judge score! 

RULES

• Teams of 1 or 2 people max. 
• Teams will be assigned a random Team Number on a sticky note which is to be taped to their booth.
• Teams will begin in increments of 10 minutes and have one hour from their designated start time. This will allow the judges to circle around to fresh meals. 

• Each team will receive an index card for them to describe the dish/components on one side and write their team number on the reverse side for judging purposes

• Ingredients should be raw to start (with exceptions for homemade sauces, broths, doughs, etc)

• No Pre-cooking, marinating or prep work is allowed

• The event will happen rain or shine, it is highly recommended that teams bring a canopy tent no larger than 12'x12'. 

• Teams must provide samples (2-3 bites) for 5 JUDGES in disposable plateware along with one dish for the crowd to vote on for best presentation
  • if you give real plates there is no guarantee that you will receive them back after the event

• A Runner will come and pick up the dishes to be judged.
• Teams may cook on:
  • Grills
  • Smokers
  • Stoves
• Contestants must bring TWO canisters to hold tickets for best decoration and best plate presentation. 

 Scroll on down to meet the Judges 

SCORING GUIDELINE

Judges will score on the following criteria

An additional 10 points each will be awarded for both Crowd Favorite Dish and Crowd Favorite Booth Decoration

JUDGING SCORE CARD

TEAM NUMBER_________

BOOTH DECORATION (to be scored before food judging)

How creative did they get

Score (1-10)_____

PRESENTATION

Dishes should look appetizing and appealing

Score (1-10)_____

TEXTURE

Meat should be tender

Score (1-15)_____

CREATIVITY

Dishes should be interesting

Score (1-5)_____

USE OF GAME

Small game should make up 75% of the dish

Score (1-15)_____

TASTE

The most important factor

all dishes will be judged with zero bias

Score (1-25)_____

OVERALL

The dish will be judged as a whole

based on the previous criteria

Score (1-20)_____

TOTAL SCORE______(out of 100)

 Judges will decide how to treat a tie! 

 MEET THE JUDGES

Chef Jeff" Williams 

“Under the radar” is as apt a phrase as any to describe Jeff. He has the chops and resume that a cook his age (or any cook, period) would envy—stints at Fäviken, Luksus and Willows Inn on Lummi Island, to name a few—but the quiet, brawny 30- year-old, who didn’t go to culinary school, isn’t one to talk himself up. The son of a commercial fisherman on Cape Cod, Jeff knew and appreciated good, fresh food from an early age. He worked on an oyster farm  in high school and started as a line cook at a country club in his hometown. He is the owner of The Press Room and Jook Sing, both restaurant in Chicago. 

During Covid with more time on his hands, Jeff started hunting -a passion he had always wanted to pursue. His favorite thing to hunt is squirrels with what he suspects is the only squirrel dog in Chicago, Roux.

Jeff will also be one of the chefs at the 2024 North American BHA Rendezvous in Minneapolis, MN from April 18-20! 

Justin Dowdy

Justin Dowdy, hailing from Graves County, Kentucky, was raised on a tobacco farm in rural West Kentucky. Following five years of service in the U.S. Army, including two tours in Iraq, he embarked on a lifelong journey blending his two passions: hunting and cooking.As an avid hunter, Justin has roamed diverse terrains, from the American West to Alaska's Kodiak Island and the untamed African Jess in Zimbabwe.

His hunting expeditions have granted him the opportunity to pursue a wide array of game, enriching his connection with nature. Equally passionate about culinary arts, Justin's love for food and cooking runs deep. Exploring various cooking techniques and cuisines, he finds immense joy in creating dishes that celebrate the flavors of his travels. Justin's culinary adventures have led him to immerse himself in the world of local ethnic cuisines, with a particular fondness for Asian flavors. He revels in the challenge of crafting spicy Asian-inspired dishes, with Korean and Thai cuisines holding a special place in his heart. Whether he's stalking game in the wilderness or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, Justin's pursuit of adventure and flavor knows no bounds.