TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Plates of Promise, Young Chefs Initiative Competition. McCain Invests R250K in Plates of Promise, Young Chefs 2026 Initiative to get Youths Engaged in Culinary industry and weekly cash prizes for unique entries.
1. All persons ("the entrants") entering the McCain Foods SA (Pty) Ltd and SA Chefs’ Association Plates of Promise, Young Chefs Initiative Competition (here forth referred to as "the promotional competition") agree that the promotional competition rules as set out in these terms and conditions are binding on them.
2. The promoter of the promotional competition is McCain Foods SA (Pty) Ltd
3. The promotional competition will run from 00:00am 06 Feb 2026 until 23:59pm 31 March 2026 Entries received after the closing date and time will not be considered.
4. The entrants must submit an original description of a plated dish, & Image of the plated Dish, with recipes loved by most consumers using McCain Frozen Fries as the Hero Ingredient https://mccain.co.za/foodservice/product-range/
5. From all the entries received, the Top 5 Dishes (per category, Students & Foodies) will be selected by the SA Chefs judges. These finalists will attend the Finals, thereafter the Top 3 Finalists (three per category, Students & Foodies) will be selected, and the subsequent finalists with the dates and venue to be confirmed by the organizers.
6. The entrants may only enter once.
7. Finalists will recreate/cook their entry dish submitted, if selected.
8. The judges will determine the first, second, and third prize winners at the cook off event(s) (per category, Students & Foodies) and will utilize the criteria set out for the competition in these terms and conditions.
9. The promotional competition will be promoted through the distribution of social media & URL entry mechanic by McCain Foods SA (Pty) Ltd to its official database. McCain Foods SA (Pty) Ltd will also promote competition on its social media platforms and will carry the Ts &Cs on its website: https://mccain.co.za/foodservice. The terms and conditions can also be viewed at:
https://mccain.co.za/foodservice/young-chefs-challenge-2026
WHO CAN ENTER?
10. We have 2 Categories 1. Junior Chef: Culinary Students: currently enrolled in a SA Chefs Skills Development Provider (training provider). Foodies (Any One between Age 18-35yrs): open to anyone that is not a culinary professional
11. The entrant acknowledges that by participating in the promotional competition, he/she has been given an appropriate opportunity to first read these terms and conditions before entering and that he/she understands and agrees to these terms and conditions.
12. Directors, members, partners, employees, agents or consultants of, or any other person who directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by the promoter or marketing service providers in respect of the promotional competition, or the spouses, life partners, business partners or immediate family members of such persons, or anyone who supplies any goods or services in connection with this promotional competition, the sponsoring company/companies and/or agents and/or consultants involved in the promotional competition are not eligible for entry.
HOW TO ENTER
13. To enter the Plates of Promise, Young Chefs Initiative Competition and stand a chance to win your share in R250 000 & weekly prizes:
13.1. Use any McCain Potato frozen fries relevant for consumption occasion (either home cooking or restaurant preparation).
13.2. A valid entry must be made up of a picture of the recipe for entry, a brief description of the dish, and recipes must be provided
13.3. Recipes must clearly state each of the McCain Potato Range used and a brief overview of the method of preparation.
13.4. No responsibility is accepted for any entry that is not received, received late, damaged, or destroyed for any reason whatsoever.
13.5. The entry must be submitted via URL link: INSERT URL LINK
13.6. No responsibility is accepted for any entry that is not delivered, received or is delayed or damaged due to technical, network or IT reasons. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt.
14. Entrants are expected to pay their own cost of connecting to the internet. Entries must be submitted by the entrants themselves. Entries submitted by a third party on the entrant’s behalf will be disqualified.
PRIZES
Only the top 3 Finalists (three per category, Students & Foodies) at the Final Ceremony Event will receive prizes and these prizes will be awarded after the cook off event and judging has been completed.
Junior Chef: (18 – 25yrs)
15. First prize: R80 000 for the winning dish/entrant, PLUS an extended publicity campaign around the winner in leading South African media
16. Second prize: R40 000 for second place.
17. Third prize: R25 000 for third place
Winning School receives: R20 000
Foodies (Any One between Age 18-35yrs)
18. First prize Foodie: R50 000 for the winning entrant, PLUS an extended publicity campaign around the winner in leading South African media
19. Second prize: R20 000 for second place
16. Third prize: R15 000 for third place
18. The promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize for an alternative prize of equal or greater value should the prize promoted not be available due to unforeseen circumstances.
19. By entering the competition, the entrant transfers all ownership rights of the dish, recipe, images entered to the promoter and the promoter is given permission in perpetuity by the entrant to use the recipe as it sees fit.
20. Once the judging panel has identified its top 10 (ten) recipes (five per category, Students & Foodies), these entrants will be notified via telephone/mobile that they have been granted entry to the final cook off event.
21. The Finalists will be contacted on the phone number provided on the entry form as soon as is reasonably possible after the determination of the finalists has taken place.
22. In line with the data protection legislation, entry in the competition grants the organisers the right to publicize the names of the 50 recipes and finalists on the McCain LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram pages and through the SA Chefs’ Association’s network once they have consented to having their names disclosed. This announcement will take place within 14 (fourteen) working days from the date of the determination of the finalists.
23.The promoter will make 2 (two) attempts to contact each of the Finalists. If the Finalist cannot be contacted personally within 2 (two) working days, or if after first being contacted by the promoter, is not reachable, or the finalist fails to provide the promoter with the correct information to contact him/her or if he/she cannot attend the top 10 cook off event then the finalist will not qualify for the Final event. Should this happen the promoter will contact the judging panel to select an alternative entry from the remaining qualifying entrants. This process shall continue until all the finalists have been contacted in terms of the terms and conditions.
24. Should the judges not be able to select entries of a sufficiently high standard to qualify for the competition cook off, the promoter, in conjunction with the judging panel can decide to have fewer finalists for the cook off event.
THE COOK OFF EVENT
25. The cook off will be held at a date to be confirmed by the organisers.
26. The top 10 finalists (five per category, Students & Foodies), will be given a challenge at the Finals for the judging panel to taste and adjudicate at the event.
27. The finalists must be at the venue which will be communicated by the organisers and be ready to start the cook off at the designated time communicated by the organiser.
28. The participants must cover their own transportation costs to and from the event.
29. The promoter will supply and cover the costs of the ingredients as required by each participant’s gourmet recipe.
30. The judges’ decision on the day is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
31. The judging panel will consist of SA Chefs accredited judges and a representative from McCain Food SA (PTY) Ltd. They will adjudicate the dishes according to judging criteria which will be communicated to the top 10 Finalists (five per category, Students & Foodies) upon notification of their selection.
GENERAL AND DISQUALIFICATION
32. By entering the promotional competition, all entrants will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by the promotional competition terms and conditions and the promoter’s decision regarding any issue with the promotional competition, including interpretation of these terms and conditions, will be final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
33. The 10 Finalists (five per category, Students & Foodies) will need to provide positive identification to the promoter, the Winners (per category, Students & Foodies) to receive the prize, will be required to furnish the promoter with information as required by the CPA.
34. The promoter reserves the right to disqualify an entrant or select an alternative winner in the event that they reasonably believe, in their sole discretion, that the entrant is not eligible to enter, the winner is not eligible to win, they have contravened any of these terms and conditions, they have acted in a manner that is not in the spirit of the promotional competition, their conduct can be reasonably interpreted as being dishonest, scamming or circumventing the rules of the promotional competition, they have acted fraudulently with regards to the promotional competition, if it would be unlawful to award the prize or if the winner fails to accept the prize. In this instance the entrant will be disqualified from entering or the winner will be disqualified and forfeit the prize. The promoter’s decision shall be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
PERSONAL INFORMATION AND FUTURE COMMUNICATION
35. By entering, an entrant acknowledges that personal information about the entrant will be shared with the promoter and their agents to the extent necessary to conduct the promotional competition and for prizes to be delivered to prize-winners.
36. All personal information relating to the entrants will be used solely in accordance with South African consumer and data protection legislation.
37. Where the entrant indicates that he/she would like the promoter to contact them in the future, he/she agrees that their relevant personal details will be held by the promoter and may be used by the same to send them information about the promoter’s products and/or services.
38. If in the future, where entrants do not wish to receive further communications from the promoter and would prefer their details to be removed from its database, or if they simply wish to make corrections to their details on to how they receive communications from the promoter, they simply need to inform us via customer service care line on https: www.mccain.co.za
39. The winners have the right to decline permission to use their names or images in marketing material or participate in any marketing activity. Should the winners verbally or otherwise agree to it, the promoter may publish their names and images on, including but not limited to, the McCain Facebook page, Facebook account and/or website, if applicable, without any liability to the promoter or remuneration due to the winners.
LIABILITY AND RISK
40. NB: These terms and conditions and promotional competition rules contain certain terms and conditions which appear in similar text style to this clause and which may limit the risk or liability of the promoter or a third party; and/or may create risk or liability for the entrant; and/or may compel the entrant to indemnify the promoter or a third party; and/or serves as an acknowledgement, by the entrant, of a fact.
41. The entrant's attention is drawn to these terms and conditions because they are important and should be carefully noted.
42. Nothing in these terms and conditions is intended to, or must be understood to, unlawfully restrict, limit or avoid any rights or obligations, as the case may be, created for either the entrant or the promoter in terms of the CPA.
43. All entrants to this promotional competition participate entirely at their own risk. By reading and accepting these terms and conditions, the entrant gives consent to these risks and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless the promoter and all entities, subsidiaries or holding companies of the promoter, their directors, employees and agents, inclusive of the advertising agency, of any and all liability pertaining to any damage, cost, injuries and losses of whatever nature sustained as a result of their participation in the promotional competition and related events and activities, save where such damage, cost, injuries and losses are sustained as a result of the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of any indemnified party.
