About the Tournament: Rules

Basic Competition Rules and Scoring System

A total of 32 teams will compete for the title of Mason Dixon Master Chef 2010 during the tournament.
Participating Teams will consist of one executive chef and one sous chef each.
Two teams will compete each night of competition.
Competing chefs are executive chefs currently working in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan area.
Competitions will be held each week on two different evenings for 16 weeks.
Chefs will have one hour to plate up three courses an appetizer, entree, and dessert.
Each Chef will also produce up to 28 amuse bouche size portions of their entree to be passed out to 'Judge Experience' ticket holders as well as randomly selected audience members. These 'Guest Judges' will be able to taste the chefs' entree courses and score on presentation, creativity, and taste.
Each chef team will plate up three plates of each course to present to the judging panel (three judges per competition night).

Judges will score the three courses based on plate presentation, creativity, and taste. Each judge will be able to give a total of 8 points for plate presentation, 8 points for creativity, and 9 points for taste.
The combined points will be added up from all the judges and avergaed for a total score out of a possible 75 points.
The remaining possible 25 points will come from the Guest Judges score cards, and will be calculated as a percentage of the average score each chef receives.
Scores from the Expert and Guest Judges will be added together, and the winning score and Chef Team announced. In the event of a tie score, the Expert Judges' decision will be final.

5:30pm - Happy Hour
6:30pm - Dinner Served to customers
7:30pm - Cold Prep Begins
8:00pm - Competition Begins
9:00pm - Judging Begins