• VOLUNTEER to help make this crazy, cheese event happen!
• Enter the COSTUME CONTEST and win a prize!
• Enter the CHEESE CALLING Contest and scream for victory!
• Please us with POETRY and make us smarter!
• Put up your DUKES and become a GRILLED CHEESE CHAMPION!
• Join our JUDGING SOCIETY to judge the best in grilled cheese!

It takes dedicated, fun-loving army of cheese fiends to help put this event together. You can sign up to volunteer here!

CABOT^® CREAMERY IS HEADED WEST

 FOR THE 10TH ANNUAL GRILLED CHEESE INVITATIONAL

Cabot Cheese Is An Exclusive Sponsor Of The National Competition in LA

Cabot, VT (March 1, 2012) – As hearts and minds turn towards spring, the farm family owners of Vermont-based Cabot Creamery Cooperative can’t wait for April and the 10th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI) to arrive.

Founded in 1919 and widely known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” Cabot is proud to announce that it is the exclusive Cheese sponsor of the 2012 Grilled Cheese Invitational which will be held on April 28 at the world famous Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.

“We’re truly excited to be a part of this amazing and zany event that strives to honor a little bit of the ‘chef’ in all of us,” says Candace Karu, Cabot’s Favorite Foodie and Lifestyle Commentator and one of the executive judges for the Grilled Cheese Invitational competition.  “April is National Grilled Cheese Month and being a part of the Grilled Cheese Invitational is a unique opportunity for our farmers to share the Cabot brand with our good friends from the west coast.  Food is all about fun and the GCI takes that fun to a whole new level.  We’re proud to be involved with the event and we look forward to sharing our World’s Best Cheddar with everyone at the competition.

Indeed, Cabot knows a little bit about competing in the cheese world.  The cooperative has won virtually every major award for best tasting cheddar and has captured numerous “World’s Best” cheddar titles in national and international competitions including the World Championship Cheese Contest, World Cheese Awards, US Championship Cheese Contest, International Dairy Deli Bakery Association Show, and the American Cheese Society.  And Cabot also holds the Guinness^® World Record for The World’s Largest Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Nov. 2000 in Everglades City, FL weighing 320 lbs.) and The World’s Largest Mac & Cheese (September 2010 in New Orleans, LA weighing 2,469 lbs).

“Growing up on the east coast, Cabot was my family’s ‘go to’ cheese when we wanted some of ‘the good stuff!,’ says Tim Walker, Chief Instigator and Founder of the Grilled Cheese Invitational. “Cabot’s dedication to communities and their farm families makes their cheese taste event better and I for one am glad they are a part of our 10^th year!

While attending the largest grilled cheese contest in America, attendees can visit Cabot’s “Cheddar Reception” tent, a 40’ x 40’ area chock full of delicious Cabot cheese samples and piping hot Grilled Cheese sandwiches featuring some of Cabot’s greatest grilled cheese sandwich recipes and lots of Cabot giveaways.

The Grilled Cheese Invitational, which started in 2003 as a bet between Founder Tim Walker and a group of his closest friends, has grown into a national movement dedicated to perfecting the art of grilled cheese.

“This year mark ten years of cutthroat, competitive grilled cheese sandwiches,” Walker says. “What started as a friendly wager between friends has grown into a national movement of cheese fiends dedicated to perfecting the art of Grilled Cheese. When we started, the Grilled Cheese was orphaned into the dark world of the ‘kids menu’ in most restaurants, left to suffer needlessly with fish sticks and chicken nuggets. Now, thanks to our efforts, the Grilled Cheese is taking center stage in the role of America’s sandwich!  With four competitive categories, amateur and pro chefs cooking side by side and all sorts of special judges awards, and with Cabot’s help, this year will be the best thing to happen to mankind since the invention of sliced cheese!”

ABOUT THE GRILLED CHEESE INVITATIONAL

The Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI) is the largest, craziest, and most exciting Grilled Cheese cooking contest in the country and is the best thing to happen to sliced cheese since sliced bread! The event was created by Tim Walker in 2003, in an artist loft in Downtown Los Angeles as a competition between friends and since then, has grown into a national movement dedicated to perfecting the art of grilled cheese, with thousands of cheese fiends and regional competitions across the country. For more information, go to: http://www.grilledcheeseinvitational.com

ABOUT CABOT CREAMERY COOPERATIVE

Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and we make a full line of cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, and butter. Best known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” Cabot is owned by 1200 dairy farm families located throughout New England and upstate New York. For additional information on Cabot Creamery, visit http://www.cabotcheese.coop

Flex your melt-making muscles by taking your grilled cheese recipe all the way to the nationals in Los Angeles!

Between April 1-14, create a Youtube video showing us how to make your one-of-a kind grilled cheese sammich.

Click here for more details!

11:00am – 6:00pm

Los Angeles Center Studios

1201 West Fifth Street Los Angeles, CA – America

$12  tix available now!    –    $15  @ event

The 2nd 8th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational will take place on April 23, 2011 at Los Angeles Center Studios in downtown Los Angeles, CA.

We are wrapping up the programing on the new registration process and hope to open registration for competitors later today.

Once the registration system is ready, we will open for ticket sales as well.

Check back here or follow us on Twitter @grilldcheez!

4/24/2010

12:00pm – 6:00pm

Los Angeles Center Studios

1201 West Fifth Street

Los Angeles, CA – America

$10  tix available now!    –    $15  @ event

• MOUNTAINS OF TILLAMOOK® GRILLED CHEESE SAMPLES!
• SPECIAL APPEARANCE OF THE LOAF LOVE TOUR!
• AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL GRILLING COMPETITONS!
• MULTIPLE FOOD VENDORS WITH SAMPLES FOR SALE!
• NEW AND ADDITIONAL SPONSORS AND FREE SAMPLES!
• BEER GARDEN!
• TROPHIES!
• POETRY!
• MUSIC!
• PRIZES!
• YELLING!
• KITTENS!*
• AWESOME!

(LOS ANGELES, CA) The organizers for the 1st 8th Annual National Grilled Cheese Invitational have opened their electronic floodgates and are now accepting registration for just about everything you could imagine at this year’s Grilled Cheese Invitational.

“The 1st 8th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational will surely be the best thing to happen to mankind, ever!  Well maybe second to that whole ‘landing on the moon’ thing, but as far as mankind’s topmost achievements, it’s totally way up there!” says Tim Walker, the event’s founder and organizer.  “We have listened to the feedback from last year, spent a lot of time redesigning the event and have turned this event into something for everyone with both a grilling competition AND a grilled cheese festival with multiple vendors on hand to sell samples to the hungry masses!”

For 2010, the GCI has partnered with Tillamook Cheese as an exclusive cheese sponsor!  Tillamook will be on hand offering samples of their medium and sharp cheddar cheese as well as serving up thousands of samples of Grilled Cheese.  How awesome is that?  Have you seen their Loaf Love Tour mini busses yet?  They are currently touring around Southern California bringing tasty cheese to the people.  If not, no worries, they will be at the event and you’ll be able to see them there!

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!  GET ‘EM HERE!

The event will be also be teaming up with the Grilled Cheese Truck as a mobile box office!  Tickets will be available through the Grilled Cheese Truck soon!

Do not hesitate to buy your tickets in advance as the EVENT WILL SELL OUT and you’ll be left with no cheese.

My god, just look at all this fun:

-NEW FOR 2010 –

ONLINE, ADVANCE TICKET SALES

To avoid the huge long lines at the gate last year, we will be selling our tickets online via beticketing.com.  Using their print at home option and scanners at the gate, we will be able to jet people though the gates and into the loving arms of some great grilled cheese and entertainment.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!  GET ‘EM HERE!

SEPARATE PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR GRILLING CONTESTS!

The time has come to allow both amateurs and professional chefs to compete side by side, but get scored in separate divisions.  We will still determine who is the overall Grilled Cheese Champion, but this will allow for more trophies and for a more fair competition overall.

ONLINE, PRE-EVENT JUDGING SOCIETY REGISTRATION!

All those looking to judge the grilling competitions MUST register with as a member of the Judging Society and must present their Membership card in order to enter the competition arena at the Grilled Cheese Invitational.  We will be limiting the number of judges at the event and there will be no on-site judging registration.  The on-site judging registration is what led to the massive lines at the event last year.  Now, we harness the power of teh interwebs!

JUDGING REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

Even though we are limiting the judging of the grilling competitions, there is still PLENTY of cheese to be judged…and just a day to do it.  With the addition of vendors selling Grilled Cheese samples, all event attendees will be handed a ballot and will be able to vote on the best grilled cheese offered up from our vendors.

CHEESE CALLING COMPETITION!

Think you’ve got a good enough set of lungs to call the cheese back to the barn, here’s your chance to prove it.  The 1st 8th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational will bring back the sacred art of cheese yelling.  For centuries the idea of competitive yelling was limited only to the Hog variety, but no more!  Come April 24, wheels of cheese throughout the land will hear their names called and know that someone out there loved them.  There will be prizes for the best cheese calls.  And earplugs for the rest of us.

To enter the Cheese Calling Competition, CLICK HERE!

CHEESY COSTUME CONTEST!

The GCI has always inspired people to wear their best, most weird outfits out in public for all the world to see.  Now, it will reward you for it!  Sign up for our costume contest and get your chance at some prizes!  Seriously!

To enter the Cheesy Costume Contest, CLICK HERE!

Want to volunteer at the event!  AWESOME!

The Grilled Cheese Invitational needs an army of volunteers to bring the cheesy glory to the people.  Why not give us a hand?  You get to be a part of a truly awesome event and have a great time as well. Plus you get a very special feeling in your heart knowing that you were a part of making someone’s dream of becoming a grilled cheese champion a reality!

More details will be released in the coming days, so keep checking back for more info.

For up to the minute info on the Grilled Cheese Invitational, follow us on twitter @grilldcheez

For media or sponsorship related inquiries, please contact email us!

If you are a chef or restaurant and you’d like to participate as a vendor for this year’s GCI, email us!

For all other questions regarding the Grilled Cheese Invitational, contact us at hotcheeseygoodness@grilledcheeseinvitational.com.

* Kittens may not be available day of the event.

Linda Williamson & Kasey McMahon celebrate their sweet vindication!

People often ask us here at the GCI what makes a champion sammich.

There are many things that go into a perfect Grilled Cheese — some of them are secret and stay that way. Here are some great things you can do to win a trophy. They may work, they may not. Just read ’em and get wise.

The best way you can make the best Grilled Cheese is to cook them all the time and to eat them all the time. Take notes. Photographs. See what brand of butter works the best. Note how old the bread was. Graph your information. Be scientific. Wear protective goggles. All that.

Physical Preparation

The week before competition, try to do some physical exercises. Step out of your apartment or house and begin running. Be sure to breathe. Do not stop running until the bleeding from your ears stops. Once the bleeding stops, hail a cab and take it to the nearest FOSTER FREEZE (a Dairy Queen would also work) and get the largest amount of ice cream you can possibly hold with two hands. Eat it all. Once completed, run back to your home and call your mother. Do not trust the mailman.

As it gets closer to game day, enlist a partner to throw medicine balls or rocks of various weights at you while you practice the grilling of cheese. This may seem dangerous and unnecessary, but trust us, it’ll help you stay alert and ready for any full contact cheese grilling that may come your way.

Mental Preparation

On game day, try to find a nice quite place for some meditation, an abandoned mine, for example. Sit in complete stillness and try to focus on the grill, the cheese, and the butter. Let all aspirations and hopes and desires for victory escape you. Think back, long and hard, to the point in your childhood where your dad dressed up as a clown and beat you with a grilled cheese sammich to make you cry. Wonder about who would play you in the “ABC Family Movie of the Week” about your winning of the Grilled Cheese Invitational. Imagine the process of milk turning into cheese and then melting back into a liquid. Awesome, isn’t it?

When you have completed this exercise, stand up and immediately smoke at least four or five cigars in quick succession. You are now ready to be a champion!

SUGGESTIONS THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY HELP YOU WIN A TROPHY

But seriously:

1)Practice – We can’t stress this enough. Before you even show up at the competition, you should have cooked one or two at your house and tasted them to make sure that the ingredients go together well and everything works. Some people often host tasting parties for their friends to help refine their recipes. Throw some variables in there. Change up the amount of butter. See what’s better and what’s not.

2) Prep Ahead – Try to prepare your materials before hand. Slice your cheese, choose your bread, fry your bacon, etc. There is always a bottleneck during the competition, with people waiting to slice cheese and what not, and that’s dumb. We’re not here to see ham sizzle; we’re here to watch cheese grill! Plus, you’ve only got 45 minutes to grill up all your samples. You don’t want to be spending that time waiting for cheese to slice.

3) Innovate – Don’t be afraid to try new things here. The grilled cheese sammich represents the collection some of the most primal of mankind’s favorite tastes. Go ahead and play around and come up with something that works just for you.

4) Slow Down! – Many people scorch their sammiches because they are nervous and cooking too fast. Slow down! Just because the grill goes up to 11 doesn’t mean it HAS to. Adjust the heat on the grill and take your time. Focus. Just be sure to grill all your sammiches in the time alotted.

5) Grease’ll Getcha – Be careful when adding meats to your sammich. As we all know meats is greasy bitches! Bacon is very, very greasy. If you are using meats, choose wisely and don’t bog the sammich down in meat grease. You think you’ll win with that? Yeah right! Bacon is fine to use, just drain it. For the love of all that’s good and holy, don’t you realize that bread is like a sponge? Sheesh!

6) Burns – This is an event involving a grill. Grills get hot. So does whatever you put on it, including the frying pan. If you’re the type who is clumsy, bring yer own damn mitts and protect your damn hands and arms! It’s not my fault you burned your own dumb ass. Be safe. Also, don’t burn other people.

7) Dress for success – Try to wear something that says, “I’m a f#@%ing Grilled Cheese Champion!” Just be sure to make it flame proof. See number 7.

8) Don’t sweat it! – If you don’t win, don’t sweat it, it’s only a Grilled Cheese Invitational.

9) Don’t steal! – Don’t just follow someone else’s recipe, be it published or not. Go ahead and CREATE your own and modify it to your personal tastes.

Remember, you have it in you to BE A CHAMPION. Not everyone in this life can be a chef, but anyone can be a Grilled Cheese Champion!

Holly Rose Larson collects her trophy for "Lick It," her Spaz winning sammich.

Now go on out there and knock ’em dead, tiger!

Grilled Cheese Invitational founder Tim Walker and five-time Grilled Cheese Champions Hot Knives were guests of Kevin and Bean on 106.7 FM, KROQ, Friday morning, April 24th.  Kevin, Bean and Lisa love their sammiches!

Click the play button below to listen: