“All You Can Cook!” Culinary Competition Terms & Conditions

Organisers

1. The “All You Can Cook!” Culinary Competition (“Competition”) is jointly organised by Maxim’s Caterers Limited (“Maxim’s”) and The Hongkong Electric Co. Ltd. (“HK Electric”) (collectively referred to as the “Organisers”).
2. By enrolling to the Competition, participants (“Participants”) agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions contained hereinafter (“these Terms and Conditions”) and the Organisers reserve the right to disqualify any Participant from the Competition at any time if there is reason to believe that the Participant has breached any of these Terms and Conditions.

Eligibility

3. The Competition is divided into four (4) competition categories (“Categories”), and their respective eligibilities are as follows:
   
   1. Families: Open to primary school students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) in Hong Kong. Participants must enrol as a team, and each team shall consist of 1 to 2 parent(s)/guardian(s) and 1 to 2 primary school students, with a maximum of 4 members per team;
   2. Secondary School Students: Open to secondary school students in Hong Kong. Participants may enrol as a team of 1 to 3 student(s) with an adult as contact person;
   3. Tertiary & Vocational School Students: Open to full-time students currently enrolled in any university, higher education institute or vocational institute in Hong Kong (each as an individual Participant); and
   4. The Public: Open to Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above (each as an individual Participant).
4. The Organisers may request Participants to provide their respective Hong Kong Identity Cards, student ID cards and/or any other valid identification documents for verification purposes.
5. Employees of the Organisers, their immediate family members, and individuals involved in organising the Competition are not eligible to participate.
6. The Organisers have the final decision on the eligibility of the Participants.

Entry Submission

7. Participants must submit the Entry (as defined in Clause 8 below) through the official Competition website (https://www.allyoucancook.com.hk/) (“Competition Website”) by 24 July 2025 (23:59 Hong Kong time). Late submissions will not be accepted. The records of receipt of submission of the Entries of the Competition Website shall be final and conclusive.
8. “Entry” means an entry submitted by Participants which identifies the ingredients of their choice, and creates the dish(es) with one of the following recipe directions:
   
   1. A cooked dish using surplus food as the main ingredient; or
   2. A zero-waste menu of at least two dishes that utilises all parts of the ingredients.
9. Each Entry must include:
   
   1. Menu and/or dish name;
   2. Description, including the sustainable or “green” concept behind the menu and/or dish and how the recipe aligns with the principle of cherishing food;
   3. List of ingredients;
   4. Cooking method;
   5. At least one photo of the dish; and
   6. Optional: A making-of video.
10. All information provided by the Participants in the Entry must be complete, accurate and correct.
11. Entries must be the original work of the Participant(s), must not contain copyrighted or plagiarised content, and must not infringe upon the rights (including but not limited to intellectual property rights, rights of privacy or confidentiality etc.) of any other parties. Otherwise, it would be disqualified for the Competition. 
12. There is no registration fee for participating in the Competition. Participants are not required to pay any fee to the Organisers for participation.
13. Participants are permitted to submit more than one Entry or be enrolled to more than one Category. However, each Participant may only be shortlisted once across all Categories. Duplicate or identical Entries will be disqualified.
14. Once an Entry is submitted, it cannot be modified, replaced, or returned to Participants.
15. Entries must not have been previously shown, displayed or published in any media platforms in whatever forms, including but not limited to social media platforms, TV, newspapers, magazines etc., submitted to other competitions or events, provided to any third party for any purposes, or used for commercial purposes.
16. Entries must not contain any content that is obscene, defamatory, violent, pornographic, indecent, disparaging or otherwise inappropriate as determined by the Organisers at their sole discretion.
17. Participants are responsible for ensuring their files submitted to the Competition are virus-free. Any Entry found to contain malware or virus will be disqualified.
18. The Organisers are not responsible for any delays, losses, errors, or technical issues during Entry submission. Proof of dispatch is not proof of receipt.
19. All costs associated with the Entry submission are to be borne by the Participants.
20. All Participants in the Competition are participated on a voluntary basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Organisers will be exempted from all legal liabilities, compensations, claims, losses and responsibilities that may be caused by or arising from the Competition and/or the prizes that may be awarded.

Shortlisting

21. A judging committee appointed by the Organisers will evaluate all eligible Entries based on the following criteria:
    
    1. Zero-waste effectiveness (40%): Use of surplus food or full utilisation of ingredients;
    2. Originality (30%): Creativity in food pairing and cooking methods; and
    3. Presentation (30%): Recipe comprehensiveness and visual appeal of the dish.
22. Six (6) Entries will be selected from each Category and the respective selected Participants (“Finalists”) will be notified via email and/or WhatsApp by 14 August 2025.
23. Finalists shall participate in activities organised by the Organisers, including but not limited to a farm visit and a culinary workshop, upon request by the Organisers.

Public Voting

24. All eligible Entries will be displayed on the Competition Website for public voting from 4 August 2025 to 14 August 2025 (both dates inclusive).
25. By submitting an Entry in the Competition, each Participant agrees to give his/her consent to the Organisers to upload and display their names, schools/universities/institutes (if applicable), and Entry details to the Competition Website for public viewing and voting.
26. The Entry from each Category with the highest number of votes according to the records of the Competition Website (which shall be final and conclusive) will receive the Most Liked Award.

Final Contest

27. Finalists are required to attend an offline cooking contest in person (“Final Contest”) on 21 August 2025 at the International Culinary Institute (“ICI”). Finalists who fail to attend the Final Contest will be disqualified and no substitution will be made.
28. Finalists from each Category will compete by cooking the dish(es) in their respective Entries (“Cooked Dishes”) within a one-hour time limit or such time limit as determined by the Organisers at their sole discretion.
29. A judging panel comprising government official, representative(s) from the Organisers and supporting institutes (“Judging Panel”) will taste and evaluate the Cooked Dishes based on the following criteria:
    
    1. Zero-waste effectiveness (30%): Ability to control the portion and utilise all ingredients in cooking. The amount of food waste generated will be collected and weighed;
    2. Palatability (30%): Appearance and presentation of the Cooked Dishes, balance of taste, odor and texture;
    3. Sustainability and Technique (20%): Use of sustainable ingredients and practices, and demonstration of profound cooking skills; and
    4. Originality (20%): Creativity in menu design and food pairing, uniqueness in the recipe and cooking method.
30. Finalists are responsible for bringing their own ingredients at their costs for the Cooked Dishes unless otherwise stated.
31. Basic and standard kitchen equipment, utensils and seasonings will be provided by ICI. Finalists may bring their own specialised equipment and/or seasonings with prior written approval from the Organisers and ICI.
32. All self-brought-in ingredients and equipment must comply with safety and hygiene standards of ICI and the applicable laws and regulations of Hong Kong. The Organisers and ICI will not be liable for any incident of food contamination or poisoning resulting from or in connection with any such self-brought-in items from the Finalists.
33. The Organisers and ICI will not be liable for any losses, damages, liabilities or claims caused by or arising from the Cooked Dishes and the food or beverages prepared or cooked by Finalists.
34. Finalists are required to wear long trousers and non-slippery shoes during their use of the kitchen of ICI. Shorts, high-heeled shoes, open-toe-shoes, flip-flops or sandals are not permitted in the kitchen of ICI. Additional apron, hair cover and face mask may be required to be worn by the Finalists upon request of ICI or the Organisers.
35. Finalists who are aged below 12 must be accompanied and supervised by adults at all times throughout the use of the kitchen of ICI. One adult shall accompany not more than 2 Finalists who are aged below 12. Additional written consent from parents or guardians of the under-aged Finalists may be required upon request of the Organisers. If no such written consent can be provided, the Organisers reserve the right to disqualify such under-aged Finalists.

Awards and Prizes

36. An award ceremony will be held at the end of the Final Contest. Attendance at the award ceremony is mandatory for all Finalists.
37. The following awards (“Awards”) and prizes (“Prizes”) will be presented in each Category:
    
    1. Champion: HK$3,000 Maxim’s Gift Coupons, HK$2,000 Fortress Gift Coupons, an award trophy and a certificate;
    2. 1^st Runner-up: HK$2,000 Maxim’s Gift Coupons, HK$1,000 Fortress Coupons, an award trophy and a certificate;
    3. 2^nd Runner-up: HK$1,000 Maxim’s Gift Coupons, HK$500 PARKnSHOP Gift Coupons (or book coupons of equivalent value), an award trophy and a certificate;
    4. Outstanding Award (3 teams): HK$500 Maxim’s Gift Coupons, HK$500 PARKnSHOP Gift Coupons (or book coupons of equivalent value), an award trophy and a certificate;
    5. Zero-waste Award (produced the least food waste in the Final Contest): HK$300 Slowood Cash Voucher, an award trophy and a certificate;
    6. Out-of-the-box Award (received the highest score in originality): HK$300 Slowood Cash Voucher, an award trophy and a certificate; and
    7. Most Liked Award (received the highest number of votes in public voting according to the records of Competition Website): HK$300 Maxim’s Gift Coupons, an award trophy and a certificate;
38. All awardees may participate in a guided visit to HK Electric Smart Power Gallery.
39. The secondary school with the highest number of eligible Participants will receive the Most Active Participating School Award. The winning school will gain priority access to participate in the other learning experiences (OLE) under HK Electric’s “Happy Green Campaign”, and receive an award trophy and a certificate.
40. In case of a tie, the ranking will be determined by the Judging Panel at its sole discretion.
41. All Awards and Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other services or items.
42. Following the Final Contest, Competition results (which include the name of the winners and awardees and their respective schools/universities/institutes (if applicable)) will be announced on the Competition Website and the Organisers’ social media pages or platforms, their websites and/or such other media channels as they think appropriate.

Intellectual Property Rights

43. By submitting an Entry, Participants understand and agree to grant and assign exclusively to the Organisers all the intellectual property rights of the submitted content, including but not limited to recipes, photos and videos. The Organisers have the right to display the submitted content and Participants’ information in any form of media for public voting, demonstration, publication, exhibition, promotion or any non-commercial activities. The Organisers also have the authority to edit, translate, adapt, use, copy, distribute and reproduce, in whole or in part of the Entries without any need for prior consent of or payment of fees to the Participants.
44. By participating in the Competition, Participants agree to allow the Organisers to photograph, film, or otherwise record in any form of media (“Recordings”) their participation in all related events and activities, including but not limited to the Final Contest, interviews, farm visits, workshops, ceremonies, press conferences, and campaigns. All intellectual property rights (“IPRs”) in these Recordings are jointly owned by the Organisers, which is entitled to use them indefinitely worldwide for various purposes, including but not limited to ESG reporting, demonstration, education, display, exhibition, advertisement marketing and promotion, in whatever form of media. Participants grant the Organisers all necessary consents for the exploitation of their appearance and voice in the Recordings and release the Organisers from all related claims and liabilities.
45. IPRs encompass all forms of intellectual property, including, without limitation, patents, designs, copyrights, trademarks, and rights in confidential information, whether registered or unregistered, and including all applications and rights to apply for and be granted such rights, globally.
46. Participants are fully responsible for any legal and related liabilities arising from any possible breach of IPRs in respect of their Entry submissions. They shall jointly and severally indemnify the Organisers and other concerned parties in full against any claims and liabilities arising from or in connection with any such breaches.
47. If a Participant disposes of or has disposed of any part of the IPRs related to a submitted Entry, such as by assignment or transfer, after submission of the Entry, that Entry will be made invalid and disqualified for the Competition.

Use of Personal Information

48. The personal data of the Participants and such other persons (“Persons”) collected in the Competition will be used by the Organisers for the following purposes only:
    
    1. registration of the submission of the Entries and verification of the eligibility of Participants;
    2. correspondence and communication with the Participants and the Persons regarding the Entry submission and selection and otherwise to the extent necessary for administrative matters for the Competition;
    3. uploading and displaying the Participants’ names, schools/universities/institutes (if applicable), and Entry details to the Competition Website for public viewing and voting under Clause 25 abovementioned;
    4. announcement of the results of the Competition under Clause 40 abovementioned, giving the Awards and Prizes relating to the Competition, and arrangements for the winners’ participation in the relevant events held by the Organisers; and
    5. other purposes prescribed in these Terms and Conditions or relating to the Competition.
49. The provision of personal data required by these Terms and Conditions and during the processing of the enrolments by the Organisers, is obligatory. In the event that a Participant or a Person does not provide such personal data, the Organisers may not be able to handle or further process his/her enrolment for the Competition.
50. The personal data provided by the Participants and the Persons will be made available to the personnel of the Organisers and may be transferred or disclosed to the parties or in the circumstances listed below:
    
    1. affiliated companies of the Organisers and contractors providing assistance to the Competition or related matters, for the purposes mentioned in Clause 46 above;
    2. where the Participants and the Persons have given their prescribed consent to such disclosure; or
    3. where such disclosure is authorised or required under the law or court order applicable to Hong Kong.
51. Regarding the provision of the personal data of the Participants who are below the age of 18 to the Organisers, written consent from parents or guardians of such Participants may be required to be provided to the Organisers upon request.
52. If the Participants and the Persons have any questions about the use of their personal information in relation to the Competition, please send email to info@allyoucancook.com.hk.

Others

53. To the fullest extent permitted by laws, the Organisers will not be held responsible for any injuries, accidents, illnesses or death arising from the participation of the Competition.
54. The Organisers are not responsible for any loss or damage to personal property during the Competition.
55. The Organisers reserve the right to disqualify any Participant(s) if Participant(s) provide false, incorrect or incomplete information during Entry submission, or if Participant(s) violate any provisions outlined in these Terms and Conditions.
56. The decisions of the Judging Panel and the Organisers shall be final and binding.
57. In case of any dispute, the Organisers reserve the final decision, including the right to amend, suspend, change or terminate the Competition and/or any of its Terms and Conditions at any time without prior notice.
58. These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong. Any disputes arising from or in connection with the Competition shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Hong Kong.
59. In case of discrepancies between the English and Chinese versions of these Terms and Conditions, the English version shall prevail.