I spent the last six weeks teaching a “Food and Judaism” class at the JCC in Durham as part of the Midrasha program. In the past, Midrasha referred to an institute of Jewish studies for women. Today, programs are created for both girls and boys that help them continue to explore Jewish history and culture.

We dove into food and recipes through a historical lens, finding common threads from our immigrant past — and then we hit the kitchen! Using the three categories of regional food offerings — Sephardic, Ashkenazi and Misrahi* — we prepared dishes and, best of all, we ate wonderful food prepared by the group. 

A theme began to erupt, sending my head spinning. The class, mostly boys, believed that cooking food was a contest. I soon realized that these kids, 14-16 years old, grew up watching the Food Network where everything is a contest. I had to break it to them that these were just reality TV shows. What?! They gave me the side eye in disbelief. But when did cooking contests really start?

Well, let’s begin with the first published cookbook in America, “American Cookery,” by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796. The text features pretty basic recipes for roasts and stews, a couple of pies and cakes. As time went on, cookbooks and recipe-swapping were primarily driven by community events; picnics, charity fundraisers, weddings, and holiday gatherings where family members and neighbors passed along trusted dishes. In 2020, over 21.5 million cookbooks were purchased. COVID forced us back into the kitchen and we needed recipes and instruction. 

What about the competition? Cooking and recipe contests date back to the early 1800s, likely happening at county and town fairs. But things changed in scope with the 1949 with the Grand National Recipe and Baking Contest, what would later become the Pillsbury Bake-Off, held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Thousands of home cooks from all over the US presented their recipes for a chance to win the grand prize of $50,000. And so it began.

There are hundreds of cooking contests around the country today. Some compete for serious money but others do it for fun, ribbons, trophies and some just do it to talk smack (all in good fun). David and Margaret Cannell own and operate a food truck called CabanaBoy, based out of Hillsborough, NC. David has been a Tar Heel Football season ticket holder since 1983 and has been tailgating for just as long. 15 years ago some of the tailgate buddies decided to hold a “Rib Cook Off” before the game. There were three challengers that year and they cooked 6 racks of ribs for the judges. Fast forward to 2021, (there was no contest in 2020 due to the pandemic) nine teams competed, arriving 4-5 hours before kickoff to set up and get those ribs cooking. 45 racks of ribs were put before a panel of three judges who graded the Ribs on taste, texture and appearance. Some of the kids who used to hang out with their parents, now adults, formed a team and took 1st place winning a ribbon, the trophy engraved with the names of past winners, and the right to drink an adult beverage out of that trophy. Oh and yes! The right to talk smack until next year. 

I’m still not sure if cooking should be a contest, but if you get to have some fun while tailgating… sure, why not! In the kitchen – not so much. 

*A good example of Misrahi cuisine can be found at Med Deli on Franklin Street

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