So I did not win the Great Steak Challenge. It’s OK, though! As you might imagine, I did not even expect to make it this far and I was so incredibly honored to cook alongside such talented grillers – seriously, some of these guys were hardcore – you should have seen all the deliciousness! All in all, it was a wonderful weekend to be a loser.

If any of you get the opportunity to participate in a similar challenge, I’ve listed some tips on how to get the most from the experience.

1.) Bring a family member, friend, loved one – you’ll have a lot more fun during all the “down time” and will have plenty of opportunities for touristy fun!

2.) ALWAYS take advantage of cheese and wine sessions

3.) Come prepared, but don’t psyche yourself out. If you’ve made it this far, you know what you are doing and the best you can do is relax and do your best.

4.) Talk to the other contestants! Don’t be shy — everyone is in the same boat. Introduce yourself and strike up conversations — you’ll be surprised how much you have in common and how much more fun it is when you like the people you’re hanging out with for multiple hours.

5.) SMILE - Just because you feel stressed out and jittery, doesn’t mean you have to look it.

6.) BE NICE TO THE SET-UP COORDINATORS. These people are your lifeline and will make sure you have all your ingredients, needed details, etc. They’ll also make sure your grill is actually ON when you start — minor detail

7.) Take lots of pictures/video so you can share your experience with everyone who couldn’t be there to watch. I believe the Mister has some EXCLUSIVE footage that I may have to post (provided it isn’t TOO embarrassing!).

Have you participated in a cooking contest? How was your experience? If not, when is a time when you lost at something, but still made the best of it?