If you happen to be an aspiring chef, culinary professional, or someone who simply has a competitive spirit and enjoys cooking, we’ve got the perfect event for you! Do you have what it takes to match your cooking skills against others from across the country in a competitive, national competition of culinary creativity? If so, then for you it’s sure to be a “wild” (rice) spring.
The Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council is looking for talented, imaginative, and adventurous contestants to put their culinary flair and expertise in the kitchen to work in the 14th Annual “Get Wild with Wild Rice” recipe contest. All recipes must be original creations and must feature the deliciously distinctive flavor of the only cereal grain native to North America—wild rice.
Don’t take this challenge lightly! You’ll need to be at your creative best to win our Grand Prize and People’s Choice Awards and take home cash prizes and bragging rights for the most innovative and delicious wild rice recipe of 2023. Additionally, one finalist will receive our Golden Ticket for entry into the World Food Championships. If last year’s contest, in which Beef and Shiitake Wild Rice Umami Stir Fry and "Popped" Espresso Mocha Pillow Crisps took home the Grand Prize and People’s Choice Awards respectively, is any indication of the quality of potential entrants in 2023, this year’s contest is sure to be a hotly contested affair.
Here’s how it works—submitted recipes go head-to-head in a taste test conducted by our culinary specialists. Participants have four opportunities to win: 1. Up to 16 finalists will be selected to have their recipes published and win wild prize packs; 2. A Grand Prize of $500 will be awarded to one lucky recipe chosen by a panel of judges; 3. In September, National Rice Month, America will vote for its favorite recipe online for the $250 People’s Choice Award; and 4. One finalist will receive our Golden Ticket to compete in the 2023 World Food Championships.
The contest opens May 12, with a deadline of June 12 for recipe submissions. Culinary creations need to include 1/4 cup of cooked wild rice per serving and at least one sponsor product from Just Bare, Minnesota Beef Council, Minnesota Pork Board, and Northern Canola Growers Association.
Now in its 14th year, this popular contest has produced scores of “wildly” imaginative recipes demonstrating the creativity of our contestants as well as the versatility of wild rice. See for yourself—for contest finalists and other wild rice recipes, visit one of the most extensive wild rice recipe libraries in the world at mnwildrice.org/search.php.
The “Get Wild with Wild Rice” Contest is also an Elite Qualifier for the 2023 World Food Championships in Dallas, Texas. One lucky finalist will be able to compete in this high stakes food competition which has awarded more than $3 million in cash to culinary talent! Visit mnwildrice.org for full contest details.
To receive your free copy of the Council’s latest recipe brochure, Minnesota Wild Rice Recipes & Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, featuring 2021 contest winning recipes, including soups, appetizers, salads, side dishes, and entrees, send a self-addressed-stamped-envelope to:
Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council
Newest Recipes
4630 Churchill St., #1
St. Paul, MN 55126
