Updated August 1, 2025
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia, age 18 or older who are either employed or otherwise professionally affiliated with a restaurant or enrolled in an accredited secondary culinary school. Entries must be received between 12:00:01 AM Pacific Time (PT) on 8/1/25 and 11:59:59 PM Pacific Time on 9/19/25. See Official Rules. Void where prohibited by law. Sponsor: California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB).
CMAB GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH CONTEST
2025 OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
Promotion:
The CMAB Grilled Cheese Sandwich Contest 2025 (the “Contest”) is sponsored by California Milk Advisory Board, 2156 West Grant Line Road, Suite 100, Tracy, CA 95377 (“Sponsor”). The California Milk Advisory Board is an Instrumentality of the California Department of Food & Agriculture. The entry period for the Contest starts at 12:00:01 AM PT on 8/1/25 and ends at 11:59:59 PM PT on 9/19/25 (“Contest Entry Period”).
Who may enter:
Contest is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older as of the time of Entry and are either employed or otherwise professionally affiliated with a restaurant or enrolled in an accredited secondary culinary school. Employees, officers, and directors of Sponsor, The Food Connector, California Department of Food & Agriculture, and all other companies associated with this Contest (“Contest Entities”), and members of their immediate families (spouse, parents, siblings and children) or households are not eligible to participate. In addition, corporate entities, like distributors, that receive funds from the CMAB are not eligible. Contest is subject to all applicable U.S. federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law.
Purpose of the Contest:
Sponsor is seeking innovative grilled cheese sandwich recipes that highlight California cheeses and butter. The goal is to showcase California dairy as the star ingredient in creative, commercially-viable foodservice dishes.
How to enter:
During the Contest Entry Period, go to https://realcaliforniamilkfoodservice.com/ (“CMAB Foodservice Website”), click on the Contest icon, and submit your entry.
Entry requires submission of the following:
Recipes must include at least 50% cheese content inside the sandwich. Chefs may submit up to two entries per category.
Contest Categories:
Requirements of Entries:
By submitting an Entry, you agree that it conforms to the guidelines and content restrictions below and that Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may disqualify your Entry if it fails to conform. You represent and warrant that:
License:
Entrants retain ownership of their Entries. However, by entering the Contest, Entrants grant Sponsor and its affiliated parties a perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to reproduce, distribute, display, and promote the Entry in any format, including print, digital, and social media, without additional permission or compensation. Sponsor is not obligated to publish any Entry.
Selection of Winners:
Preliminary Round:
Judges selected by Sponsor will evaluate Entries based on the following criteria:
Finalists will be notified on or about October 6, 2025.
Finalist Requirements (Due October 17, 2025):
Each Finalist must submit a complete recipe card and additional photographs of the dish preparation and final presentation. Finalists must also sign and return a release form, W-9, and proof of eligibility.
Final Cook-Off Round:
The eight Finalist recipes will be recreated by judges in a commercial kitchen and scored using the same criteria. One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be selected in each category. Finalists will be notified on or about November 14, 2025.
Prizes:
Finalists are responsible for all taxes and any required filings. An IRS Form 1099 will be issued.
Publicity:
Entry and acceptance of a prize constitutes permission to use the winner’s name, likeness, city/state, and recipe in promotional materials without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law.
Conditions:
By participating, Entrants agree to release and hold harmless Contest Entities from any and all liability related to the Contest, including personal injury, property loss, and intellectual property claims. Sponsor may disqualify any individual found to be tampering with the entry process or violating these Official Rules.
Disputes; Governing Law:
All disputes will be resolved under the laws of the State of California. By entering, Entrants agree to binding arbitration in San Joaquin County, California, under the rules of the American Arbitration Association.
Limitation of Liability:
Contest is offered “as is” without warranty of any kind. Sponsor is not responsible for technical failures, lost entries, or issues arising from third-party platforms.
Caution:
Any attempt to deliberately damage or undermine the operation of the Contest is a violation of law and may result in disqualification and legal action.
Winner’s List:
To request the names of the Finalists and Category Winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
The Food Connector – Grilled Cheese Contest Winners, 899 Northgate Drive, Suite 412, San Rafael, CA 94903
Requests must be received within 60 days of Contest close.
Privacy:
All information submitted will be handled in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy (https://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/privacy-policy). By entering, Entrants consent to the collection and use of their personal information for Contest administration and promotional purposes.
