Perfect Puree Picked A Penultimate Culinary Experience
By Francine Cohen

Consider this post part two of competitions you can win (though this one’s really a sweepstakes).

Why should enter if you’ve already put in a bid for another contest that’s open to the hospitality community? Well, because this one will stretch your culinary muscles, putting you in an unequaled environment (The Culinary Institute of America) where you’ll be immersed in the study of flavors from the Mediterranean to the Middle East and Asia and discover how they’re impacting menus around the country and in your backyard. Just think of what you can bring back to your bar or restaurant after exploring these flavors alongside of notable chefs and journalists at the CIA.

Plus, it’s a week in Napa.

Not to mention that, unlike in other competitions where you’re creating a menu item with a specific product – and being charming while presenting it – winning this trip of a lifetime doesn’t rely on your good looks at all. In fact, there’s no skill involved here, just sheer luck; so you’ve got as much a chance of winning as the guy (or gal) next to you.

And you’re going to want to win more than just an opportunity to have Perfect Puree send you some of their newest flavors (the benefit of being in the trade); the winner of the Whisk, Shake & Stir The Perfect Puree Sweepstakes will be taking a guest to share in a culinary adventure in Napa that includes: round-trip airfare, 6 nights accommodations, admission to The Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavor®Conference (November 1-3, 2012, www.ciaprochef.com/wof), dinner, and a winery tour.

All you need to do is enter by August 31, 2012 at www.perfectpuree.com/whiskshakestir and wait to see if your name is randomly selected.

How’s that for a Perfect opportunity?

Here’s the fine print:
Whisk, Shake & Stir The Perfect Purée
1. NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES.
2. Eligibility: The Promotion is open only to legal residents of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia who are 21 years of age or older on the date of entry. Directors, officers, managers, members, employees and agents of The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley LLC (“Sponsor”), the parent, subsidiaries and affiliates of Sponsor, any marketing company involved in the promotion, as well as family (defined as spouse, children, parents and siblings) and household members of same, are ineligible to participate in the Promotion and are ineligible for the prize. Sponsor reserves the right to determine a contestant’s eligibility based on these criteria. By participating, contestants fully and unconditionally agree to and accept these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor, which are final.
3. How to Enter: To enter, you must submit an eligible entry during the Promotional Period, which shall begin on April 2, 2012 and end on August 31, 2012. The sole way to enter is to register on the hosted microsite (www.perfectpuree.com/whiskshakestir) by providing your name and contact information, including your mailing address, email address and telephone number. You may register only once during the Promotional Period.
4. Use of Information for Marketing Purposes: By entering the Promotion, you agree that Sponsor and its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates may contact you by U.S. Mail or electronic mail for promotional purposes. If you wish to be removed from such mailings, please contact Sponsor at the address listed in paragraph 14 or by following the instructions in any promotional email that you receive.
5. Selection and Requirements of Potential Winner: The potential winner will be selected by random drawing from among all eligible entries received, to occur on or before September 30, 2012. Contestants need not be present at the time of the drawing to win. Potential winner will be required to complete and return a declaration of eligibility and liability/publicity release within ten (10) days of notification. Potential winner also will need to provide copies of a valid driver’s license for potential winner and potential winner’s guest. Potential winner will forfeit the prize, and an alternate potential winner will be selected in his/her place if Sponsor is unable to contact potential winner within ten (10) days of the first attempt to contact him/her, or if potential winner fails to complete and return the declaration/release, with the required copies of driver’s licenses, within the specified time period. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any contestant who does not meet the eligibility requirements and to re-award the prize to an eligible contestant. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries.
6. The Prize: There is one (1) prize. Winner will receive: two roundtrip coach/economy airline tickets to travel from winner’s place of residence in the fifty United States or the District of Columbia to San Francisco International Airport; accommodations (one room) for up to six nights at a hotel of Sponsor’s choice in Napa Valley, California; entry for two to The 2012 Worlds of Flavor® International Conference & Festival to be held in Napa Valley on November 1-3, 2012; dinner for two at a restaurant of Sponsor’s choice in Napa Valley (value up to $300); and a wine tour at a Napa Valley winery to be determined by winner (value up to $300). Prize value is approximately $4,900, depending on ultimate cost of the elements of the prize. Winner’s guest must be 21 years of age or older at start of travel. Travel dates must include November 1-3, 2012. Sponsor will book airline tickets, hotel stay and restaurant reservation, all in Sponsor’s discretion after consulting with winner. Winner will be responsible for any and all costs and expenses other than those specifically included in the prize, including but not limited to ground transportation, meals, entertainment expenses and incidentals.
7. Winner Liability for Taxes: Winner will be responsible for any and all federal, state and local taxes, associated with the receipt and use of the prize, and will have to supply a valid social security number for tax reporting purposes. Winner should consult with an accountant as the tax liability may be substantial.
8. Publicity: Prize receipt constitutes winner’s consent for Sponsor and Sponsor’s designees to use entrant’s name, likeness, voice and statements for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration, except where prohibited.
9. General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security or administration of the Promotion is impaired in any way for any reason, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, suspend, modify and/or cancel the Promotion. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any person it finds to have tampered with the entry process or to have acted in violation of these Official Rules or in a disruptive manner. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision. In the event that an entry is confirmed to have been erroneously lost or destroyed, entrant’s sole remedy shall be another entry into the Promotion. If any provision of these Official Rules is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be stricken and the remaining provisions shall be enforced.
10. Sponsor and Others Released from All Liability: Except as prohibited by law, by participating in the Promotion, contestants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, the parent, subsidiaries and affiliates of Sponsor, any marketing company involved in the Promotion, and each of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”), from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Promotion or the receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Promotion; (b) technical errors; (c) printing or typographical errors; (d) errors in the administration of the Promotion; (e) late, lost or undeliverable mail; and (f) loss, injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from participation in the Promotion or the receipt or use of the prize. Contestants waive the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including but not limited to punitive, consequential, direct or indirect damages.
11. Disputes: Contestants agree that any dispute arising out of the Promotion shall be resolved in the Superior Court of California in and for the County of Napa. The laws of the State of California, without regard to any conflict of law rules, shall apply. Except where prohibited, contestants agree that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of the Promotion or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action.
12. Identification of Prize Winner: For the name of the winner, send a self-addressed stamped envelope, postmarked by December 31, 2012, to: The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley LLC, 2700 Napa Valley Corporate Dr., Suite L, Napa, CA 94558.
13. Promotion void where and to the extent prohibited by law.
14. Sponsor: The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley LLC, 2700 Napa Valley Corporate Dr., Suite L, Napa, CA 94558.