While most participation in Frontier Fiesta comes from University of Houston student groups, colleges, and departments, the largest source of community participation comes through the Cook-Off competition. The Cook-Off competition is modeled after traditional southern style Cook-Offs. Competition is divided into five food categories including brisket, chicken, ribs, fajitas, and beans. Prizes are awarded in each category as well as for overall competition.

Participants who choose to participate in the Cook-Off competition are required to supply all necessary food and equipment. A typical Cook-Off team set-up includes a tent, BBQ pit, RV (for the lucky chef who gets to tend the fire all night), chairs, tables, and a food preparation / storage area. Most groups prepare competition items during the event and then serve them along with a few side dishes to invited team mates, friends, family or other acquaintances. As any other event at Frontier Fiesta, organizing a Cook-Off team requires proper planning and coordination and is always a lot of fun!

If you or your organization has never participated in a Cook-Off competition before, it is best to seek the advice and experience of someone who has. There are numerous professional Cook-Off competitions in the Houston area in the spring and a visit to one is definitely recommended for less experienced participants.

Cook-Off teams are not required to participate in every category of the competition. It is important to check the judging schedule during the event to determine exactly when items must be turned in for judging. Most Cook-Off teams begin cooking on Thursday night of the event and serve approximately four to seven meals during the three day competition.

The following set of rules and guidelines are provided specifically for the Cook-Off competition. All necessary registration forms and permits can be found at the end of this manual. In addition to the necessary registration forms, there are also several order forms for various pieces of equipment available through the Frontier Fiesta Association.

While the following set of rules and guidelines is very specific concerning Cook-Off teams, there is one area that must be addressed more sufficiently - alcohol. The only type of alcohol allowed on the Fiesta City site is canned beer. All beer must be purchased from the official distributor either before the event through pre-sale orders or at the event through the Fiesta City Banks. No beer or any other alcoholic beverage may be brought onto the Fiesta City premises by anyone - it is a violation of state law. Beer may only be consumed by individuals twenty-one years of age or older. All Cook-Off teams must complete and turn in a University of Houston "Registration of Alcoholic Beverage Distribution" form found at the end of this manual. All participants and visitors to Fiesta City before, during, and after Frontier Fiesta will not be allowed to bring any glass containers onto the site and all beverages consumed on the site are required to be in plastic or paper cups. For safety reasons, NO aluminum cans will be allowed. Failure to comply with these rules will not only result in disqualification from the Cook-Off competition but may as well involve prosecution by the University of Houston Police Department, the City of Houston Police Department, and the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission.

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Last Updated on 3/13/01