Introduction

For many people the world of show cooking is almost like a secret society. Who are show cooks? Can anyone enter? What are the rules? And what does it take to win? To the uninitiated the answers are often astounding and sometimes quite impenetrable, and the judging usually happens behind locked doors, which makes it even more mysterious.

On my very first day researching the subject some seven years ago now, I attended a judging session for the Royal Adelaide Show. There was a genuine buzz of excitement as competitors approached the officials and unpacked their entries from an astounding collection of Tupperware containers, boxes, and even specially modified suitcases. I watched them take out scones and biscuits, individually wrapped to protect them from damage, and handle cakes with as much care as if they were filled with high explosives.