2026 BEST CULINARY CONFECTION
Official Rules and Regulations
SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY:
August 6th, 2026 by 11:59 pm
WHAT ARE THE ARIZONA NACEy AWARDS:
The awards are designed to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts, performance and outstanding contributions of NACE members and future members in the special events industry. Winners will be recognized at our Awards Gala on Sunday, September 20th, 2026.
WHO CAN ENTER:
Any NACE member or future NACE Member.
WHO JUDGES THE AWARDS:
In order to maintain fairness in the judging, the awards are submitted anonymously. They are judged by a NACE Chapter with no affiliations to our Phoenix Chapter. Scores are returned to Phoenix NACE and totaled to determine winners in each award category.
HOW DO I ENTER:
All entries are submitted through the Phoenix NACE website. Be sure to follow all of the rules and submit your entry by the noted deadline. All entries must be for events that occurred between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.
AWARDS SUBMISSION RULES:
Follow the step-by-step instructions and category-specific guidelines for your entry to be valid. The event must be from July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026. The event entry cannot be from other organizations in the same industry. Please complete all fields, including collateral attachments, and must not include the company name, website or logo to keep anonymity and remove any judging bias.
WHAT IS THE COST:
Submission fees:
$100.00 for members *email joann@aproposcreations.com for your $50.00 discount code
$150.00 for future members.
WHO DO I REACH OUT TO IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?
You can reach out to Joy Edwards, our Awards Committee Co- Chair at joy@aproposcreations.com
WHO CAN ENTER:
This category is for artists who specialize in sweet creations that wow. Eligible participants include:
Bakers and pastry chefs
Chocolatiers and dessert designers
Caterers offering specialized dessert experiences
Food stylists focused on confections
Any culinary professionals who contributed sweet elements to an event
If your confection was the (literal) cherry on top of an event, we want to see it!
Best Culinary Confection (100 Points Total)
The Best Culinary Confection of the Year Award recognizes outstanding creativity, execution, and presentation of sweet treats created for events. This includes cakes, pastries, cookies, chocolate work, sugar art, and other dessert-based designs. Submissions should highlight how the confection supported the event’s overall theme and guest experience. Please do not include the names of individuals in your submission. Title the award submission based on the event or theme, not the client.
Overview: (30 Points Each)
- Event Overview, Client Vision & Objectives (30 points) Describe the event, your role, and the culinary confection you created, including how it contributed to the overall guest experience. What were the client's goals for the confection, and what were your objectives in bringing their vision to life? Explain how both were achieved. Up to 500- 1000 word limit
- Planning, Production & Execution (30 points) Describe your workflow from concept and design through production and delivery. What was the degree of difficulty in creating and delivering the confection? Include any challenges (such as transportation, weather, structural stability, or timing) and explain how they were overcome. Up to 500- 1000 word limit
WOW Factor: (20 Points)
- WOW Factors – Creativity & Impact (20 points) Explain how the culinary confection reflected the event's theme, style, or branding through its design, flavor profile, presentation, and any innovative techniques. Describe your creative process, including the use of vision boards, sketches, mood boards, or flavor profiles, and explain what made the confection and overall event memorable and impactful. Up to 500- 1000 word limit
Materials (20 points) – all materials must be submitted to receive full credit for this portion of the submission
- Upload the overall project or baking timeline (including production, delivery, and setup).
- Upload 1- 3 sketches, digital mockups, or inspiration boards.
- Upload 3- 4 high-quality photos that show your confection work and its presentation at the event (e.g., close-ups, setup shots, in-use/guest reaction).
- Optionally, submit one video segment. Must be a maximum of two minutes in length and must be submitted through a link such as Vimeo or YouTube.
