RULES OF THE ROAD FOR CONTESTANTS
19th Annual
Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off
Sunday, November 4th, 2007
AUSTIN ZOO
10807 Rawhide Trail,  Austin
Please go to www.AustinZoo.org or call 512-288-1490 for directions
Submit your entry form.
Entry forms and payment must be received.  Additional copies of the entry form can be downloaded from the LSVN Web site (www.LSVN.org) or can be obtained by calling Lenny Lunden at 512-413-2933.

Please supply your own stove/cooker (non-electric if possible); electricity is extremely limited at the site, 
and we need to reserve the outlets for the PA and the live entertainment.
Each team will be provided with a 3' by 8' ft. table, two chairs, an 8' by 10' tarp for floor covering, and a rinsing station required by the Health Department. Please bring any additional surface areas you need (e.g., a card table) and extra chairs. Keep in mind that space is limited, however. If you own a tarp or windbreak, you might want to throw it in your trunk as insurance against bad weather.

Shop for 100% vegan ingredients.
All chilies served at the cook-off must be wholly vegan, so be careful as you shop! Absolutely no meat, meat broths, dairy products (including cheese), or eggs can be used as either primary or secondary ingredients. For example, some tortillas and crackers contain dry milk or animal fats, and flavoring agents often contain animal products. You will NOT be allowed to use such ingredients in your chili.

Find a place to stay.
Several participants are staying at:
 
Habitat Suites Hotel
(512) 467-6000
500 East Highl and Mall Blvd
Austin, TX 78752
www.HabitatSuites.com

Attend the gala kick-off dinner and social (optional).
Meet and socialize with Cook-Off organizers, celebrity judges, and other contestants.  Acts of chili espionage are to be expected, but a good time for all is practically guaranteed. Get a last-minute briefing and pick up your contestant goodie-bag.  And, of course, a Vegan meal will be served.
 
We are having our night before get together dinner on Saturday,  November 3rd at 7 pm at: 

Java Gardens
1717 Pleasant Valley (in the shopping center at the corner of Riverside)
Austin, TX 78741
(512) 385-8858
www.JavaGardens.net  (Note: Street Address on their homepage is not correct.)
 
7:00 PM - Appetizers. 
7:30 PM - Buffet. 
It's BYOB for beer and wine with a liquor store two doors down in the same shopping center!
 
RSVP to: vna_rsvp@yahoo.com and put "RSVP for dinner" in the subject line to cut through the spam,
and include the number of people in your party.

Prepare a total of five (5) gallons of chili, entirely on site at the cook-off.
Contestants may arrive anytime after 7:30 am and start setting up their booths. With one exception— soaking your beans and grains—ALL preparation (including chopping) is to be done at the site.  Also, your ingredients must be inspected and certified by the Vegan Police before you can begin.  Your chili does not have to be made in a single batch, but all ingredients for all batches must be inspected before you begin to cook (this should all be done at one time in the morning by the Vegan Police).

Serve your chili beginning at 12:00 noon and continuing until 4:00 pm (or a little after).
Fill the serving cups from the 1/2 ounce ladles you will be provided.  You must not overfill, as your chili has to last for the whole afternoon.  The first few servings of Chili someone gets may seem skimpy,     but by the eighth or ninth serving, they will be thanking you.  
We want all attendees to be able to taste all of the chilies!

Provide a chili sample for the judges.
Cook-off officials will collect a sample of chili (approximately a quart)  from you and deliver them to the judges around 1 PM.  The judging will take place in a blind taste-test format; the judges will not know which chili they are tasting.

Enjoy the presentation of awards.
The judging should be complete by around 4:00 pm. 
Trophies and prizes will be handed out as soon as possible following the judging.

Clean up your booth beginning at 5:00 pm, and plan to hit the road by around 6:00.
Thank you for helping make this annual event a success!
If you have any question please contact:
Ricky Burke; RickyBurke@tx.rr.com or Ricky@LSVN.org  214-460-3385 Cell  972-235-5665 Home  
Lenny Lynne Lunden; lennylunden@yahoo.com  512-413-2933 
The 2007 Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off
Wishes to thank all of the people that make this great event possible!!!