FMI Supermarket Chef Showdown Accepting Entrants

The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) is now accepting entrants for its annual Supermarket Chef Showdown. Supermarket chefs can enter their recipes online in up to five categories: Healthy Meals, Family Meals, Ethnic Meals, Dessert and Side-Dishes/Mini Meals/Snacks.

There’s no cost to enter, and the deadline for entries is Nov. 15. All entered recipes must use at least three eligible ingredients and take 20 minutes or under to prepare, not including baking or cooling time.

Presented by the Arlington, Va.-based trade organization at its annual convention, FMI Connect: A Global Food Retail Experience, the recipe competition enables supermarket chefs to vie for prizes and show off their culinary skills. The top 25 finalists will compete live in front of celebrity judges on June 11, 2014, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

“Through the friendly competition of last year’s first-ever Supermarket Chef Showdown, FMI cast a deserving spotlight on the culinary expertise found in neighborhood supermarkets across America, as supermarket chefs share their menu creativity, flavor findings and kitchen skills with grocery shoppers every day,” noted Leslie G. Sarasin, FMI president and CEO. “The 2014 edition of the showdown at FMI Connect in Chicago promises to enlarge that spotlight with expanded categories and recipe challenges, allowing even more chefs to let their tastes, talents and techniques shine on our industry-wide stage.”

Among the prizes will be an all-expense-paid trip for two to Mardi Gras 2015, an all-expense-paid trip to California to take part in the olive harvest, a "Chicago Experience," and cash prizes.