Health Care Culinary Contest: Official rules

 
  • No purchase necessary to enter or win a prize in this contest; void where prohibited. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. This is a skill-based contest; this is not a game of chance. Winners will be chosen based on the stated criteria.
  • Contest period: Contest begins on October 1, 2024 (12:00 AM EST) and ends November 30, 2024 (11:59 PM EST). 
  • Eligibility: Contest is open to: (i) U.S. legal residents (including D.C.), (ii) who are 18 years of age of older at the time of entry, and (iii) who work for or in a health care institution.  Employees of Sponsor and the immediate families (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) or household members of all such employees, are not eligible.  
  • Only one recipe per chef, please. Only the first recipe submitted by a chef will be judged; submission of multiple recipes from the same chef will result in disqualification of all subsequently submitted recipes.  (For purposes of clarity, a facility may submit more than one recipe, but each recipe must be submitted by a different chef.)
  • Winner selection: Entries are scored by Health Care Without Harm staff to determine a top 7. Menus of Change staff score the top 7 entries to establish a top 5. The top 5 recipes will be tested by the Johnson and Wales University Culinary School instructors and students. The top 5 finalists will be notified by email by March 2025. The winner will be notified by April 2025 and will be publicly announced at CleanMed in May 2025. Please see Judging Criteria below for full details on submission evaluation.
  • Agreement to Official Rules: Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest.
  • The entry must be submitted by an individual who works in a hospital or health care system.

Three steps to participate

  1. Create a qualifying recipe
  2. Feature and promote your recipe during the Contest Period (October 1- November 30)
  3. Submit complete recipe and additional details by Nov. 30
    1. Contact Information
    2. Recipe narrative 
    3. Cost per serving 
    4. Detailed recipe (ingredients and instructions)
    5. Photos
    6. Recipe promotion evidence/details

1. Create a qualifying recipe

Qualifying recipes follow the plant-forward philosophy (which emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, plant-based foods) and meet the following criteria:

  1. Your recipe/entry must be plant-forward, a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, plant-based foods – including fruits and vegetables; whole grains; beans, other legumes, and soy foods; nuts and seeds; plant oils; and herbs and spices.
  2. The entry must contain at least 1 whole food plant protein (e.g. grains, legumes, seeds, or tree nuts). Traditional foods such as tofu, seitan, and tempeh qualify but meat/dairy analogs do not.
  3. If animal proteins are used, the focus should be on flavoring the entry or playing a supporting role (with 1.5 ounces or less per serving).
  4. The entry must be replicable for other hospitals and cost no more than $5 per serving for 20 servings.
  5. If you choose to include seafood, it should be a wild-sourced variety.
  6. For ideas, refer to the Menus Of Change Protein Flip guidance and Health Care Without Harm’s Redefining Protein Purchasing Considerations.

The entry can be for an entree, snack, grab-n-go, baked good, or any common food item sold in your cafes and cafeterias for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. For example, a black bean brownie or a chickpea muffin would qualify as a plant-forward baked good. Your entry might be a new take on an old tradition. Perhaps a classic meatloaf is transformed into a savory, plant-forward loaf. A beefy Bolognese could become a rich plant-forward sauce. One might also look to classic comfort foods from other cultures like China’s congee or shakshuka from the Middle East.

Recipes must be the entrant's original creation and may not include copyrighted, trademarked, patented, or previously published recipes. Sponsor reserves the right to revise the ingredient list submitted by entrant and substitute any trademarked or copyrighted brand name products with generic ingredients determined by, and in the sole discretion of, the Sponsor to be comparable to the trademarked or copyrighted brand name products. By submitting a recipe, you certify that you (i) are the creator of the recipe and (ii) are able and authorized to submit it.

Disqualifications

  • Inclusion of processed meat. (The World Health Organization designated processed meat as a carcinogen, and the American Medical Association passed a policy to urge hospitals to eliminate it from their menus.)
  • Use of processed plant protein “meat analogs,” such as “fake bacon,” soy-meat crumbles,” or comparable ingredients. (See our Redefining Protein report for a distillation of the current science on the benefits of whole protein compared to processed meat analogs.)
  • Submission of an incomplete recipe (e.g., missing measurements, incomplete instructions).
  • Submission of more than one recipe per chef; only the first received recipe will be considered.
  • Recipe is not plant-forward as defined and/or contains more than 1.5 ounces of animal protein per serving.
  • Recipe does not contain at least one qualifying ingredient as outlined above.

2. Feature your recipe at your health care institution and promote your recipe to customers and/or on social media

  1. Cook, serve, and celebrate. Feature your recipe on patient and/or retail menus on or before the Nov. 30 deadline at least once.
  2. Spread the joy. Promote your entry by holding an event, tasting, demonstration, or other promotion. (The week of World Food Day, which is on October 16, 2024, would be a great time for this). Document the event with 2-3 photos and a description of the promotion in the contest entry form.

And/or

Promote your entry on your (or your facility’s) X and/or Instagram social media accounts using the hashtags #PlantForwardFuture and #CulinaryContest2024, and tagging Health Care Without Harm. Document your posts with a description in the contest entry form.

3. Submit complete recipe and additional details by Nov. 30

A downloadable copy of the submission form is available for your reference. When you are ready to submit your recipe, please use the online submission form.

1. Include your contact information

  • Respondent
    • Name
    • Email
    • Title
    • Phone
  • Chef or recipe creator (if different than respondent)
    • Name
    • Email
    • Chef bio
  • Facility
  • System (if applicable)
  • City
  • State
  • [Optional] X, Instagram, and Pinterest handles

2. Submit your complete entry which must include

  • Name of entry (for help use our naming tool).
  • Recipe narrative (500 words or less). The recipe narrative gets at the “heart and soul” of your recipe, and is an opportunity to explain why it is meaningful to you, the community you serve, and/or your facility. The narrative might also describe your creative experience in putting flavors and textures together to create something delicious. The following questions can be used to guide your narrative but each question does not need to be addressed.
    • Why did you choose this entry?
    • What does it mean to you?
    • What does it mean to the community you serve?
    • Does the entry reflect your cultural history or the cultural history of your community?
    • Does the entry reflect the current growing season?
    • Does the entry celebrate what farmers in your region are growing?
    • Does the entry utilize root-to-stem cooking or other culinary strategies to reduce food waste?
    • How does it fit into the goals of your organization?
    • Are any ingredients locally sourced? Tell us about the farm or producer.
    • Does the entry contain sustainably produced ingredients? If so, what are these ingredients and how were they produced?
    • Why did you combine the ingredients in the way that you did?
    • What was your inspiration for the entry?
  • Ingredients
  • Measurements for institutional scale (minimum of 20 servings) and home scale (4-8 servings)
  • Detailed step-by-step procedures for:
    • Preparation
    • Cooking
    • Serving
    • Equipment and specific serving utensil(s).
  • Serving/Scale
    • Portion sizes(s) for single serving.
    • Total recipe yield (measured or weighed)
    • Cost per serving.
  • Provide batch recipe and production version, scaled for a minimum of 20 servings and 4-8 servings.
  • Photos of the entry - At least two photos must be submitted (more are encouraged). It must be high-resolution and an original photo taken during the course of the contest. Photo 1 is a picture of the entry. Photo 2 is a photo of the chef or culinary team with the entry. Photos that are horizontally aligned are preferred. 

3. Submit evidence of promotions of the entry recipe

  • Did you promote the recipe through a live event or demonstration? If so, please describe and attach at least two photos.
  • Did you promote the recipe on social media? If so, please describe (what did you post and on which channels) and include links to your posts.

Judging criteria and winner selection

The entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges on the basis of the criteria outlined below. Your odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received and the quality of entries received.

  • Recipe narrative (29%): The recipe narrative gets at the “heart and soul” of your recipe, and is an opportunity to explain why it is meaningful to you, the community you serve, and/or your facility. The narrative might also describe your creative experience in putting flavors and textures together to create something delicious. A good narrative tells a compelling story about your recipe. It gives the judges a sense of your creative process and what inspired you to create the dish. We love to see recipes that utilize root-to-stem cooking and other culinary strategies to reduce food waste, highlight the local community, that help eaters make a transition to new foods, and that utilize locally and sustainably produced ingredients. Refer to the guiding questions above.
  • Recipe submission (13%): Recipe submission is complete and includes ingredient list, ingredient measurements, clearly written instructions, and serving size information. Small batch (4-8 servings) and production scaled (minimum of 20 servings) recipes are provided to support sharing and use in institutional food service settings. Submission is additionally evaluated using the following criteria:
    • Recipe is plant-forward: a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, foods from plant sources—fruits and vegetables (produce), whole grains, legumes (pulses), nuts and seeds, plant oils, and herbs and spices— and reflects evidence-based principles of health and sustainability.
    • Recipe contains at least one qualifying ingredient.
    • If used, animal proteins make up no more than 1.5 ounces per serving.
    • Photos show a well-presented, visually appealing dish.
  • Recipe novelty, creativity, suitability for health care (29%): Bean burritos and veggie burgers are classic plant-forward dishes worthy of their place on a menu, but the goal of this contest is to inspire creativity and innovation. How might you take a plant-forward burrito in a different direction? Or how about creating something entirely different? Your entry might be a new take on an old tradition. Perhaps a classic meatloaf is transformed into a savory, plant-forward loaf. A beefy bolognese could become a rich plant-forward sauce. One might also look to classic comfort foods from other cultures like China’s congee or shakshuka from the Middle East. The entry can be for an entree, snack, grab-n-go, baked good, or any common food item sold in your cafes and cafeterias for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. For example, a black bean brownie or a chickpea muffin would qualify as a plant-forward baked good. While we are looking for innovation, we also want it to be replicable for other health care facilities therefore, production cost should be approximately $5 (or less) per serving for at least 20 servings.
  • Marketing and promotion (29%): Encourage diners to try your creation by promoting it through an event, tasting, demonstration, internal communication such as a newsletter or screen image, social media or another promotion. Research shows that plant-forward dishes sell better if they are marketed smartly. Names and menu descriptions should focus on flavor and cravability so at the point of sale diners feel like they are choosing something that will be tasty and satisfying. However, health care can also be great messengers about the health and environmental benefits of plant-forward. Infographics and simple messaging in dining areas, screens, or other areas of the hospital can tell an eater about how the tasty item they just chose also reduces their climate impact. Check out our guide on naming and marketing your recipe for tips. Points will be awarded based on:
    • Recipe name
    • Quality of the promotion based on your description of social media engagement or internal activities.
    • Documentation of the promotion by providing two (2) photos or examples of the promotional materials. Photos should be horizontally aligned photos and should be sufficiently high resolution.

All entries will be judged on or about January 15, 2025. After evaluating recipes using the scoring criteria above, the top five highest scoring entries will be subject to a culinary and taste-test to determine the grand prize winner and four finalist winners. In the event of a tie when selecting finalists, the tied entry scoring highest in the “Recipe novelty” category will be deemed the finalist. If a tie still exists, the tied entry scoring highest in the “Recipe narrative” category will be deemed the finalist. All decisions by judges are deemed final.

Prizes

One (1) grand prize winner will receive:

  • One complimentary registration and acknowledgement at the 2025 Menus of Change Summit hosted by the Culinary Institute of America.
  • One complementary registration and acknowledgement at the 2025 CleanMed conference hosted by Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth.
  • One travel stipend of $1,400 to be used for costs associated with attending either of the conferences.
  • The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to a local farm-to-table restaurant.
  • The winning entry and chef will be promoted through the Culinary Institute of America, Health Care Without Harm, and Practice Greenhealth’s media channels.

Approximate retail value (ARV) of the grand prize $4,220

Four (4) finalists will receive:

  • Dinner for 2, a $100 gift certificate to a local farm-to-table restaurant.

ARV of each finalist prize: $100

Total ARV of all prizes to be awarded $4,620

Additional Prize Details:  All taxes, fees, and surcharges on prize are the sole responsibility of the winners. If the value of the prize exceeds $600, winners will be issued an IRS Form 1099 for the fair market value of the prize inclusive of sales or other transaction taxes. Affidavit of eligibility (including SSN), prize acceptance form, tax information, assignment of rights, personal services agreement, publicity release, and/or mutually acceptable liability releases may be required where not prohibited. Prizes are non-transferable except in the sole discretion of the Sponsor. No substitution or cash equivalent is allowed. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of the same approximate retail value. Prize consists only of items specifically listed as part of the prize. All costs and expenses not specified herein, related to any prize, or incidental costs incurred by accepting the prize, are the sole responsibility of the winner.

Winner Notification: Winners will be notified by email/phone by April 2025 and announced at CleanMed, May 6-8, 2025. Winners will be required to respond within seven (7) calendar days, or the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be chosen. Affidavit of eligibility, prize acceptance form, tax information, publicity release, and/or mutually acceptable liability releases may be required and, if so, must be returned within reasonable specified time or prize will be forfeited and alternate winner chosen.

Winners List: Winners list to be available online for at least three months on Sponsors webpage [https://noharm-uscanada.org/] after May 2025.

Legal

Publicity Release:  Except where prohibited, by participating in this contest, you consent that your name, likeness, voice, and/or biographical data may be used for advertising and promotional purposes without limitation and without additional notice, compensation, or consent. Specifically, your stories, photos, quotes, etc. may be featured in part or in full on the Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth websites, in blogs, on social media and in other promotional materials associated with the Health Care Culinary Contest. Credit will be given to contributors.

Release:  By entering, entrant agrees to accept and abide by the rules of this contest and agrees that any dispute with regard to the conduct of this contest, rule interpretation, or award of prize shall be submitted to Sponsor, whose decision shall be binding and final.  By participating, entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, X, Instagram, Pinterest, participating dealers and retailers, affiliates, sales representatives, distributors, and promotional and other vendor agencies, their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, service agencies, independent contractors, and the officers, directors, employees, agents, and representatives of any of the above organizations from any injury, loss, or damage to person, including death, or property due in-whole or in-part, directly or indirectly, to the acceptance or use/misuse of a prize, participation in any contest-related activity, or participation in the contest.

Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of this offer, administration of the contest, or in the announcement of prizes, including erroneous appearance of qualification for a prize, and under no circumstances will more than the stated number of prizes be awarded. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to modify, cancel, or suspend this contest, or to amend the Official Rules at any time, without prior individual notice, should any factor interfere with the administration, security, or proper play of this contest as contemplated by these Official Rules. If for any reason Sponsor is prevented from continuing with this contest, or the integrity and/or feasibility of the contest is severely undermined by any event including but not limited to fire, flood, pandemic, epidemic, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, satellite or equipment failure, riot or civil disturbance, war (declared or undeclared), terrorist threat or activity, or any federal, state, or local government law, order or regulation, order of any court or jurisdiction, Sponsor shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to abbreviate, modify, suspend, cancel, or terminate the contest without further obligation. If Sponsor in its discretion elects to so abbreviate the contest, Sponsor reserves the right, but not the obligation, to award the prize from among all eligible entries received to date. All entries are the property of Sponsor and are not returnable.

This contest is intended for viewing in the United States only and shall be construed and evaluated only according to United States law. Do not enter this contest if you are not located in the United States. The use of any automated devices in connection with this contest is prohibited. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for computer system, hardware, software, or program malfunctions or other errors, failures, delayed computer transactions, or network connections, whether human, technical, or otherwise in nature. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend this contest should virus, bugs, or other causes beyond its control corrupt the administration, security, or proper play of this contest. Sponsor is not responsible for any injury or damage to any person’s computer or related equipment resulting from or relating to participation in this contest or downloading any material related to this contest. Entries will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. In the event of a dispute, the potential winner may be required to provide proof that he or she is the authorized holder of the identified email account.

DISPUTES/CHOICE OF LAW:  EXCEPT WHERE PROHIBITED, EACH ENTRANT AGREES THAT: (1) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THIS CONTEST OR ANY PRIZE AWARDED SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION, AND EXCLUSIVELY BY STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS SITUATED IN VIRGINIA, (2) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS’ FEES, (3) NO PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS, MAY BE AWARDED (COLLECTIVELY, “SPECIAL DAMAGES”), AND (4) ENTRANT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM SPECIAL DAMAGES AND ALL RIGHTS TO SUCH DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR INCREASED.  VIRGINIA LAW, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO CHOICE OF LAW RULES, GOVERNS THE CONTEST AND ALL ASPECTS RELATED THERETO.

Sponsor 

Health Care Without Harm U.S., 12110 Sunset Hills Rd, Suite 600 Reston, VA 20190

This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, X, Instagram, or Pinterest.  By entering, you understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor, and not to X, Instagram, or Pinterest.