Note: This page is dedicated for St. Charles Parish 4-H members and families. If you are a member of 4-H in a different parish, please contact your parish 4-H Agent as information and deadlines may differ.
All St. Charles Parish 4-H members are encouraged to participate in at least one 4-H culinary arts contest. These contests are intended to help our 4-H members grow in their cooking experience and skill level while enjoying quality time with families who assist them with the safety rules and sharing of traditional family recipes.
This year the 4-H Culinary Arts contest will be split into 4 submission dates. Submission dates refers to the date that 4-H members (or their designated adult) will physically bring 2 servings of their dish to the St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter Office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. The office is located at 453 Spruce Street in Norco, La. No late submissions or dishes will be accepted.
Submission Dates for the 2026-2027 4-H Culinary Arts Contests are as follows:
- Tuesday, November 17, 2026 - Louisiana Commodities (Pecan, Sweet Potato, and Strawberries) Contest
- Tuesday, December 8, 2026 - Eggs, Sugar, and Bread Contests
- Tuesday, January 12, 2027 - Poultry and Wild Game Contests
- Tuesday, February 16, 2027 - Beef and Seafood Contest
4-H Culinary Arts Online Registration Form Information:
St. Charles Parish 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Online Registration Form
Members will also need to complete the 4-H Culinary Arts Online Registration Form by the submission date to be considered for judging. All rules are posted on this online registration form. The online form must be completed by the end of the submission date in order to be considered for judging.
General Contest Rules: (applies to all 4-H Culinary Arts Contest categories):
- Must be an official St. Charles Parish 4-H member (4-12th grade) to enter.
- One person per entry.
- Must be appropriate for all audiences. (Note: Any recipes including liquor or alcohol will be disqualified for this 4-H youth contest.)
- Must submit 4-H Culinary Arts Online Registration Form by the end of the submission date for the designated commodity. All dishes must be physically brought to the St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter on its designated submission day in an ice chest, on ice, and cold to touch. Dishes not following this rule will be disqualified.
- No late entries. Early entries are acceptable for online forms only.
- The dish must be submitted in a sealable, non-returnable container on the specified submission date.
- Members may only enter one dish per commodity. Remember to bring 2 servings per dish. The servings may be in the same sealable, non-returnable container. To specify, this means as follows:
- For the Louisiana Commodities Contest: Each member can enter 1 pecan dish, 1 strawberry dish, and/or 1 sweet potato dish.
- For the Egg Contest: Each member can enter only 1 egg dish.
- For the Sugar Contest: Each member can enter only 1 sugar dish.
- For the Bread Contest: Each member can enter only 1 bread dish.
- For the Poultry Contest: Each member can enter only 1 poultry dish.
- For the Wild Game Contest: Each member can enter only 1 wild game dish.
- For the Beef Contest: Each member can enter only 1 beef dish.
- For the Seafood Contest: Each member can enter only 1 seafood dish.
- Members are responsible for deciding on their own placement in category based on the rules below. The information submitted in the online form is the official form for all judging. Only one 4-H member can enter a dish. Two members cannot have a dish together.
- First place winners, provided they meet all criteria and eligibility, will qualify for the Southeast Region 4-H Culinary Arts Contest, which is usually scheduled in May.
- By submitting an entry, you agree to release images to publish in 4-H promotional material.
- To receive an award or recognition for any parish 4-H contest, the 4-H member must be registered and approved through 4-H Online.
Judging Criteria:
Recipe – You will need to attach a copy of your recipe in the 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Online Registration Form, which should follow the following recipe format:
- Name of the recipe
- Ingredients listed in order used in instructions
- Clear instructions for combining ingredients
- No abbreviations used for ingredient measures
- Size of pan stated
- Temperature and cooking time stated
- Number of servings given
- Dish meets contest and division requirements
- (Specific amounts of the commodity must be specified in the recipe and follow official rule guidelines.)
1 Finished Product Picture – You will need to submit 1 picture of the completed dish in the 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Online Registration Form. The picture will need to be a picture of the entire complete dish. Since we are unable to visually see what the dish looks like as a whole, this picture will be used to judge appearance.
Judging Rubric:
Recipe - 25 points
Taste - 50 points
Appearance (from finished product photo) - 25 points
Total: 100 points
*Note: Must follow all general and specific commodity contest rules; otherwise entry will be disqualified.
Commodity Rules:
The rules for all commodities are listed in the 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Online Registration Form. You may also click on the commodity below for specific rules regarding each commodity.
For Additional Information:
For questions or for additional information, contact your
St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter
