4-H Cooking Contest

Saturday SEPTEMBER 12, 2026
4H junior/intermediate @ 2:00 pm
4H senior @ 4:00 pm

Do you have what it takes to turn a simple ingredient into an award-winning dish? This year's Utah 4-H State Cooking Challenge is all about pitted fruits! From peaches and cherries to plums, apricots, nectarines, olives, and more, your challenge is to create a delicious recipe that lets this year's featured ingredient shine.

Whether you dream up a savory appetizer, a mouthwatering main course, or a spectacular dessert, we want to see your creativity, cooking skills, and presentation come to life!

• Judging will be based on:
  • Originality 20%
  • Taste Appeal 70%
  • Appearance/Presentation 10%
• Entries are limited to ten (10) registered contestants in each division. Please click on your division to register.
• Competitors must come to the Zion's building at 2:00pm and 4:00pm to check in.
• All preparation must be done on site.
• Competitors will have 30 minutes to prepared their dish.
• Competitors must comply with safe food handling guidelines, and should obtain a food handlers permit.
• Submit two (2) copies of your recipe, printed or typed on 8 1/2'x 11' white paper; one with recipe only and one with your recipe, name, address and phone numbers. Be specific with amount of servings, measurements, directions, and sizes of cans and packages.
• Contestants are responsible for bringing the following;
  • All Ingredients
  • Any cooking appliances needed besides a stovetop
  • Any plates or platters for presentation.
• Contest is open to any resident 4H member.
• All recipes and entries become the property of the Utah State Fair, who reserve the right to edit, adapt, copyright, publish, or advertise the recipes and the names of the contestants without compensation.
• Employees of the Utah State Fair, its affiliates, subsidiaries, and families are not eligible.
• With entry submission, you accept all Contest rules and agree to be bound by the judges' decisions, which will be final.