Adobo Throwdown LA – Official Judging Instructions

Professional Chef Competition
Event Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025
Venue: Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts – Cerritos, CA
Judge Arrival Time: 12:00 PM
Showtime: 1:00 PM

1. Welcome & Purpose - Thank you for serving as an official judge for the first-ever Adobo Throwdown LA. Your culinary expertise and presence help elevate Filipino cuisine to a national platform.

2. Required Arrival Time - All judges must arrive at: ➡️ 12:00 PM (Noon) - Check in, receive briefing materials, and prepare for the live show

3. Live Show Flow (Important) 1:00 PM — The Show Begins

   1. The stage program follows this sequence:

      1. Competitor Introductions

         1. All professional chefs are introduced first.

      2. Judge Introductions (One by One) - Each judge is introduced individually to the audience.

      3. Tasting Begins Immediately After Judge Intros - Competition staff will bring plates to the judging table in order.

4. Real-Time Feedback Format (“Iron Chef Style”) - Judges are expected to provide brief, professional, real-time commentary after tasting each dish. The goal is:

   1. To educate the audience

   2. To celebrate the chef

   3. To highlight technique, creativity, and flavor

   4. To maintain fairness and respect

5. How Real-Time Feedback Works - After tasting each dish:

   1. Each judge will be given the microphone.

   2. Provide 10–20 seconds of feedback. (Short, focused, and audience-friendly.)

   3. Feedback should address:

      1. Taste

      2. Creativity

      3. Presentation

   4. Avoid revealing your score.

   5. Keep the tone constructive, positive, and culinary-expert driven.

6. Scoring System (Separate From Live Commentary) Even though feedback is live, scoring remains private. Each category is scored independently using a 1–10 scale:

   1. 1 = Worst

   2. 10 = Best / Exceptional

   3. Taste – 50% - Depth, balance, execution, and honoring the essence of adobo.

   4. Creativity – 25% - Originality, innovation, fusion, technique, and concept.

   5. Presentation – 25% - Visual appeal, composition, plating style, and texture cues

   6. Scores are submitted silently to the Competition Committee after tasting of all dishes are done.

7. Judging Process

   1. Chef Interview (1–2 minutes) - Each chef briefly explains:

      1. Their background

      2. Inspiration

      3. Dish concept

   2. Judges may ask short clarifying questions.

   3. Tasting

   4. Silent scoring

   5. Real-time public feedback afterward

   6. No cross-discussion during scoring

Conduct Guidelines

✔ DO:

• Maintain professionalism

• Provide constructive real-time commentary

• Keep scoring confidential

• Encourage and inspire chefs

• Be clear, concise, and respectful
  
  

✘ DO NOT:

• Compare chefs

• Reveal scores

• Overly criticize

• Post live commentary on social media