Big Chef

OFFICIAL Appetizer Challenge  RULES

1. Eligibility.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE ODDS OF WINNING. Appetizer Challenge  OPEN ONLY TO RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE “U.S.”) WHO ARE AGE 18 OR OLDER. IF YOU ARE NOT A RESIDENT OF THE U.S., YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN A PRIZE, AND ECRS, LLC dba BigChef (“BigChefOnline.com”) RESERVES THE RIGHT NOT TO AWARD PRIZES TO ENTRANTS WHO RESIDE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. To be eligible to win a prize, entries must be completed and received by BigChefOnline.com in the format designated below. BigChefOnline.com, and any of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, professional advisors, judges, advertising and promotional agencies, employees and agencies (collectively, the “Participating Entities”), and immediate families of each are not eligible to win any prizes. All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Offer void where prohibited or restricted by law. If an entrant submits multiple entries that contain the same or substantially similar recipe, as determined by BigChefOnline.com in its sole discretion, only the first such entry received by BigChefOnline.com may be eligible to win a prize.

2. Disclaimer.

The Participating Entities will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled or distorted or damaged transmissions or entries; (b) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer- or communications-related malfunctions or failures; (c) any Appetizer Challenge  disruptions, injuries, losses or damages caused by events beyond the control of BigChefOnline.com; or (d) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Appetizer Challenge .

3. Entry Period.

The entry period will be from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time, July 15, 2011 until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, August 15, 2011 (the “Deadline”). All entries must be received by the Deadline to be eligible to win a prize.

4. Prizes.

(a) First Place: First Place winner will receive: $500.00 Big Chef Products Gift Certificate + *Jazz Up Your Food Music CD + **Tips on Entertainment

(b) Second Place:  Second Place winner will receive:  $350.00 Big Chef Products Gift Certificate + *Jazz Up Your Food Music CD + **Tips on Entertainment

(c) Third Place:  Third Place winner will receive:  $150.00 Big Chef Products Gift Certificate + *Jazz Up Your Food Music CD + **Tips on Entertainment

Odds of winning a prize depend on number of eligible entries received and the quality of the entries received, as judged pursuant to these Official Rules. ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF ANY PRIZES ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER.

All prizes will be awarded. Each prize returned as undeliverable or otherwise not claimed within five (5) days after first attempted delivery will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner. Prizes are not transferable. No substitutions or exchanges (including for cash) of any prizes will be permitted, except that BigChefOnline.com reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Limit one prize per household or address. The prizes are awarded “AS IS” and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied, (including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose).

In the event of a dispute about the identity of the entrant, entries made online will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry. An authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g. business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. The potential winner may be required to provide BigChefOnline.com with proof that the potential winner is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning entry.

5. How to Enter. To enter, either:

(a) Go to and complete an Official Entry Form, or

(b) submit your entry by email including your full name, full mailing address, current age and birthdate, telephone number, and e-mail address (if available), to BigChefOnline.com at the address listed below, Atten: The Ultimate Appetizer Challenge 2011.

(c) Send a letter by mail with your Original Recipe (as described below) and your full name, full mailing address, current age and birthdate, telephone number, and e-mail address (if available), to BigChefOnline.com at the address listed below, Atten:The Ultimate Appetizer Challenge 2011.

By entering the Appetizer Challenge , you consent to being placed on a mailing list for promotional and other purposes. We will not share your contact information/email address with anyone. Period.

6. Appetizer Challenge  Rules.

BigChefOnline.com is looking for The Ultimate Appetizer recipe! Create your own original recipe (an “Original Recipe”) in any  of the following appetizer categories (each, a “Category”): Breaded-Crusted, Dim Sum, Empanadas - Tortillas, Fillo - Phyllo, Puff Pastry, Skewers , Other (anything that does not fit in the above categories goes here) Submit your Original Recipe according to the instructions described above. Each Original Recipe must: (a) be your own original creation, and not based on any other published recipe, (b) include a list of all required ingredients in specific, common U.S. household measurement units, step-by-step preparation instructions, and preparation/cooking times, (c) involve only ingredients commonly available at grocery stores.  For a recipe to be considered appropriate, it must be one that can be eaten in one or two bites, hence the term bite-sized.

After the Deadline, a panel of judges selected by BigChefOnline.com (the ‘Judges’) shall select three Original Recipes that the Judges, at their sole discretion, determine to be the most apt, original and interesting Original Recipe. BigChefOnline.com will notify the entrants who submitted the Finalist Recipes (each, a “Potential Winner”) that they been selected to receive a Prize. Each Potential Winner will be notified by telephone or e-mail. To be eligible to win a prize, each Potential Winner must respond within five (5) business days of the first attempted notification following the instructions contained in the notification. Upon BigChefOnline.com’s timely verification of the Potential Winners’ eligibility and receipt of completed affidavits, releases and publicity releases (as explained below), each Potential Winner shall be deemed a “Finalist.” In the event a Potential Winner fails to timely respond to BigChefOnline.com’s attempted notifications, fails to timely submit completed affidavits, releases and publicity releases, or otherwise is determined by BigChefOnline.com to be ineligible to win a prize, the Potential Winner will be disqualified from the Appetizer Challenge  and BigChefOnline.com will select an alternate eligible entrant and his or her Original Recipe to be a Finalist Recipe. Finalists will be publicly announced on or about August 21, 2011.

After recipe is reviewed by our Judging panel for appropriateness (bite-sized), quality and overall appeal it will then be given a ranking from 1-5 stars with 5 stars being the highest. Recipes that receive a 5 star rating will be considered Finalists. After Finalists have been selected, the Finalist Recipes, Finalists’ names, and city and state of each Finalist’s residence (collectively, the “Finalist Information”) will be made publicly available by one or more of the Participating Entities, such as through Internet websites, newspaper advertisements, and other methods of distribution, and used for promotional or marketing purposes, including being included in our upcoming eBook: "The Ultimate Appetizer." Finalist Recipes may be edited for content, clarity, length and/or consistency at BigChefOnline.com’s sole discretion.  All recipes that are given a 3, 4 or 5 star rating regardless of whether or not they win the final challenge will be included in our upcoming eBook: "The Ultimate Appetizer." Everyone who enters the challenge will be given a complimentary copy of "The Ultimate Appetizer" once it has been published (Est. publication date September 6th)

All 5 star recipes submissions will then be prepared by the Chefs of BigChef for taste/visual appeal/ease of preparation and once again ranked from 1-5 stars.  First, Second and Third Place winners will be chosen from these submissions.

First, Second and Third Place winners will be given a prize. Grand Prize winner will be announced on or about November 10, 2011  (when?).

7. BigChefOnline.com Ownership of Entries.

All entries and materials submitted to BigChefOnline.com in connection with the Appetizer Challenge  (collectively, “Entry Materials”), along with all copyright, trademark and other proprietary rights associated therewith, become the property of BigChefOnline.com upon submission, and Entry Materials will not be returned to any entrant. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you acknowledge that BigChefOnline.com will own all rights to use, modify, reproduce, publish, perform, display, distribute, make derivative works of and otherwise commercially and non-commercially exploit the Entry Materials in perpetuity and throughout the universe, in any manner or medium now existing or hereafter developed, without separate compensation to you or any other person or entity. BigChefOnline.coms use of the entry materials may include but shall not be limited to publication and archived in our blog, on our website and in future recipe books/publications. You agree to take, at BigChefOnline.com’s expense, any further action (including, without limitation, execution of affidavits and other documents) reasonably requested by BigChefOnline.com to effect, perfect or confirm BigChefOnline.com’s ownership rights as set forth above in this paragraph 7.

8. Original Work of Authorship.

You hereby warrant and represent that (a) you own all rights to all Entry Materials submitted by you; and (b) all such Entry Materials are original works of authorship on your part and have not been copied, in whole or in part, from any other work and do not violate, misappropriate or infringe any copyright, trademark or other proprietary right of any other person or entity. This included all photos included with recipe submissions.

9. General Release.

By entering the Appetizer Challenge , you release the BigChefOnline.com and the Participating Entities from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Appetizer Challenge  or delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, use of or inability to use any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory.

10. Use of Winner’s Name, Likeness, etc.

Except where prohibited by law, entry into the Appetizer Challenge  constitutes permission to use winners’ name, location, likeness and/or prize information, without limitation, for promotional purposes without further permission or compensation. As a condition of being awarded any prize, except where prohibited by law, winners may be required to execute and deliver to BigChefOnline.com a consent to the use of their name, location, likeness and/or prize information, without limitation, for promotional purposes without further permission or compensation.

11. Affidavit & Release.

As a condition of being awarded any prize, winners may be required to execute and deliver to BigChefOnline.com a signed affidavit of eligibility and acceptance of these Official Rules and release of liability.

12. Winners List; Rules Request.

For a copy of the winners list, send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope after August 15, 2011 and before August 15, 2012 to BigChefOnline.com at the address listed below, Attn: The Ultimate Appetizer Recipe Challenge – Winner’s List. To obtain a copy of these rules, send a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to BigChefOnline.com at the address listed below, Attn: The Ultimate Appetizer Recipe Challenge – Appetizer Challenge  Rules.  

13. Copyright Notice.

The Appetizer Challenge  and all accompanying materials are copyright © 2011 by BigChefOnline.com. All rights reserved.

14. Miscellaneous.

The Appetizer Challenge  and these Official Rules will be governed, construed and interpreted under the laws of the state of Florida. Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of BigChefOnline.com, which are final and binding in all respects. BigChefOnline.com reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, in its sole discretion, and to suspend or cancel the Appetizer Challenge  or any entrant’s participation in the Appetizer Challenge  should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond BigChefOnline.com’s control affect the administration, security or proper play of the Appetizer Challenge  or BigChefOnline.com otherwise becomes (as determined in its sole discretion) incapable of running the Appetizer Challenge  as planned. Entrants who violate these Official Rules, tamper with the operation of the Appetizer Challenge  or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to BigChefOnline.com, the Appetizer Challenge  or any other entrant (in each case as determined in BigChefOnline.com’s sole discretion) are subject to disqualification from entry into the Appetizer Challenge . BigChefOnline.com reserves the right to lock out persons whose eligibility is in question or who have been disqualified or are otherwise ineligible to enter the Appetizer Challenge . If you have any questions about these Official Rules or the Appetizer Challenge , please e-mail them to recipes@bigchefonline.com or send written questions to the address listed below.

15. Appetizer Challenge  Sponsor.

The Official Sponsor of the Appetizer Challenge  is ECRS, LLC dba BigChef 5830 Funston Street, Hollywood, Florida 33023.