You or your teams physical participation in this competition shows your tacit acceptance of all the Potjie competition rules as set out below without exception.

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You pick one category only; anything that can be made in a Potjie is acceptable.

• Entrée

• Dessert

• Bread

Eligibility:

• Open to individuals or teams (up to 4 people per team).

• Each team must have a Team Name.

• Teams will be assigned a Team Number, logged with the team’s name.

Entry & Contribution:

• Each participant or team must provide their own ingredients for the Potjie.

• Potjies must be filled at least ¾ full to qualify for the competition.

• Each Potjie entered and shared with attendees will receive a $20 gift card or cash as a thank-you for sharing and help offset ingredient costs.

Setup Requirements:

• Participants must bring all their own equipment (tables, chairs, canopy/gazebo, gas stove, Potjie pot, utensils, coal, wood, etc.).

• Limited charcoal or wood may be available from organizers, ask if you need extra.

• Teams are responsible for their own cooking, safety, and hygiene practices.

Cooking & Timing:

• Cooking may begin from 12:00 pm onwards.

• All Potjies must be ready before or by 5:00 pm latest on Saturday.

Presentation & Sharing:

• Participants are kindly requested to place their potjie on the designated table for sharing at the time of announcement.

• Upon doing so, please provide your assigned number to a festival staff member.

• Once your potjie has been presented, you will receive your $20 gift card or cash in appreciation of your contribution.

Judging:

• Judging commences when you indicate your Potjie is ready or at 5:00 pm.

• You need to bring your team's number to registration when ready for judging.​

Cleanup:

• Each team must clean their area, leaving it as found.

• Teams are responsible for cleaning their own Potjie and equipment.

• All the Potjies must be prepared from scratch on the day of the competition. Prior marinating of meat / poultry / fish will be allowed.

• All entries must be cooked in a traditional cast iron Dutch pot or Potjie.

• Potjies can be cooked over wood, coals or gas burners only.

• Due to Nut & Shellfish allergies, your entry has to be labelled if it contains or have traces of nuts or shellfish, or have touched any nut or shellfish product (i.e. mussel, shrimp / prawn, lobster etc.).

• Judging will be conducted by two groups of three judges (6 total).

• Judges will visit all the cooking sites whilst the Potjies are being prepared.

• The judges will be scoring the cooking area on the general spirit, originality, preparation techniques and general impressions (cleanliness) and the Potjie on appearance and taste.

• Potjies will be judged on the following criteria: Aroma, Color, Taste, Texture, Ingredients, Work area cleanliness and overall Potjieness (see explanation below).

• Judge's will bring a plate to your cooking site. You need to dish up what you want the judges to taste. Judging must be completed at the latest by 17h30 at your area.

• Friends and family can then enjoy all Potjies that was entered into the competition after judging.

• Judge's decision will be final.

• Your Potjie will receive an overall number score from 1-10 on the evaluation criteria:

1-2 = Poor

3-4 = Satisfactory

5-6 = Good

7-8 = Very Good

9-10= Excellent

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Aroma:

• Overall flavor, distinctive aromas, pleasant or pungent flavor, distinctive mingled flavors or burning smells, odorless.

​Color:

• Natural color, distinctive color of ingredients, varied color, full of interest, attractive,appealing, interesting or lacking character, dull or pale, meat browned.

​Taste:

• Aromatic or pungent savoring, interesting or piquant quality, slight flavor or suggestion, specified flavor or lacking flavor, amount of spices used – appetizing or bitter, spoiled, bland.

Texture:

• Feel or appearance of food, interpretation of meats & vegetables. Still have shape (not mushy, or falling apart), cooked, overcooked or under cooked.

• Vegetables to be cooked but still to have form.

​Ingredients:

• Use of unusual ingredients or cooking techniques. This does not mean if use expensive ingredients you will score more.

​​Cooking Area:

• Use of own implements, (pots, knives, chopping boards…), table cleanliness, cleaning up after oneself, hygiene, general spirit in the team, originality, preparation techniques and general impressions.

• The winning individual or team will receive a trophy, hampers, medal and bragging rights for a year.

• Second place will receive a hamper and medal.

• Third place will receive a hamper and medal.

• Judge's decision is final.