Any dish: five weighted criteria: a row for each entry. Totals fill in as scores are typed.
Entry
Dish taste× 41 to 10
Dish texture× 21 to 10
Dish aroma1 to 10
Plate appearance× 21 to 10
Recipe originality1 to 10
Dish total of 100Out of 100
Judge's tasting notes
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Scoring key
Score each box from 1 to 10 1 to 10
10 is the best you could hope for and 1 is a miss. Half points are fine. Judge each entry on its own, not against the one before it.
A heading marked × 4 counts four times
The sheet multiplies for you: an 8 under × 4 adds 32. The weights on a layout add up to 10, so a row of tens makes 100.
These criteria are the editors' suggestions
Every contest sets its own criteria, so none here is official. Agree on the layout before the first bite.
Number the entries and hide the cooks
Give every entry a number and keep the list of cooks away from the judges. Use a clean spoon for every taste and clear the palate with water between entries.
Breaking a tie for a prize place
Settle it before judging: the higher taste score is a simple rule. The International Chili Society hands tied cups to three fresh judges, five for a three-way tie, always an odd number.
How each row scores
Dish taste and 4 more
1 to 10
Dish total of 100
Out of 100
Type a score and the totals fill in. Highest total wins.
Names and scores stay in this browser until you press New game.
Food Judging Score Sheet for Cook-Offs, Bake-Offs and Pie Contests: how it works
This food judging score sheet lists up to 20 entries down the side and weighted criteria across the top. Type 1 to 10 in each box and the entry's total, out of 100, fills in beside it. Layouts for any dish, chili, barbecue, pies and baking are the editors' suggestions, and each prints blank.
Score one entry across its row
Pick a layout, then press Add an entry until every dish has a row. Number the entries and keep the cooks' names from the judges. Half points are fine. A heading marked × 4 counts four times, and each layout's weights add up to 10, so a row of tens makes 100. The highest total is marked as leading. New game clears the scores and keeps the entry names.
Chili, pie and baking layouts
As a chili cook off score sheet, Chili cook-off: six criteria scores flavor, aroma, sauce consistency, bite, heat and looks. It follows the International Chili Society's published judging instructions as a reference only: the society's judges fill in no boxes, they name a first, second and third place, which Top-three ballots: 3, 2 and 1 points tallies. Pie contest: crust, filling, flavor is the pie judging score sheet, and Cakes and cookies: baking contest serves as a cake judging score sheet or a cookie tasting score sheet. No criterion here is official.
Tips
For a printable food judging score sheet template, press Print blank sheet once per judge. All 20 rows and the scoring key fit one page.
Barbecue: taste, tenderness, looks is a printable bbq score sheet: taste counts four times, tenderness three.
With a panel, type each judge's card total into Add the judges' cards together.
Questions and answers
Does it work as a cooking competition score sheet for any dish?
Yes. Any dish: five weighted criteria scores taste, texture, aroma, appearance and originality, with taste counted four times. It suits a potluck, a salsa contest or an office cook-off as a general food competition score sheet. Entry names can be changed; the criteria cannot.
How do we break a tie?
Decide before judging starts. A simple rule is that the higher taste score wins. The International Chili Society breaks ties only for prize places: three judges who did not judge that category taste the tied cups, or five for a three-way tie.
Is there a pie contest score sheet or a printable baking contest score sheet?
Both. The pie card counts crust, filling and overall flavor three times each and the look of the slice once. The baking card counts flavor four times, crumb or chew three times, decoration twice and an even bake once.
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Dish aromaSmell it before you taste it. Score what reaches you at the table, not what the kitchen smelled like an hour ago.
Dish tasteFlavor, seasoning and balance, judged on the second bite as well as the first. It counts four times, so it decides most contests.
Dish textureIs it cooked the way the dish should be: tender where it should be tender, crisp where it should be crisp. Counts twice.
Dish total of 100Taste times 4, texture times 2, aroma, appearance times 2 and originality. The weights add up to 10, so a row of tens makes 100.
Judge's tasting notesA few words to jog your memory when two entries tie: too salty, great crust, needed heat. Never added up.
Plate appearanceColor, neatness and whether it looks like something you want to eat. Counts twice. Do not mark down a plain serving dish the contest supplied.
Recipe originalityA twist that works. An odd ingredient that does not help the dish earns nothing here.
Chili cook-off 7
Chili aromaSmell the cup before the spoon goes in. A pleasing aroma is one of the three things the International Chili Society tells its judges a good chili has.
Chili flavorThe taste of the chili itself, from the first spoonful to the aftertaste. Counts four times.
Chili total of 100Flavor times 4, sauce consistency times 2 and the other four boxes once each. A row of tens makes 100.
Heat levelHeat from the spices should be neither bland nor too hot. This box is for balance, not for bravery: the hottest cup does not win it.
Look in the cupDoes it look appealing as served. Agree before judging whether toppings are allowed; the International Chili Society allows no garnish at its cook-offs.
Meat or bean biteTender, not mushy and not too firm. Cubed, ground or shredded meat all stand equal; in a bean or vegetarian category judge the beans the same way.
Sauce consistencyNot too thin and not too thick, with a balanced ratio of sauce to meat. Counts twice.
Barbecue 5
Barbecue appearanceColor, moisture and an even cut, scored before anyone takes a bite. Counts twice.
Barbecue tasteMeat, smoke, rub and sauce together. Counts four times. Judge the entry as handed in, without adding sauce of your own.
Barbecue tendernessEasy to bite through without being mushy or dry. Agree beforehand what your panel wants from ribs: a clean bite or meat that falls off the bone. Counts three times.
Barbecue total of 100Taste times 4, tenderness times 3, appearance times 2 and smoke and bark once. A row of tens makes 100.
Smoke and barkA smoke flavor you can taste that does not turn bitter, and a crust that adds something.
Pie contest 5
Pie crustFlaky or crisp, baked through and not soggy under the filling. Counts three times.
Pie fillingSet enough to hold a slice, not runny and not gluey, with fruit or custard cooked through. Counts three times.
Pie flavor overallCrust and filling in one bite: sweetness, spice and balance. Counts three times.
Pie total of 100Crust, filling and overall flavor times 3 each, appearance once. A row of tens makes 100.
Slice appearanceHow the whole pie and the cut slice look. One point in ten, so a plain pie that tastes best still wins.
Cakes and cookies 5
Bake flavorThe taste of the cake or cookie, frosting and filling included. Counts four times.
Bake total of 100Flavor times 4, crumb or chew times 3, decoration times 2 and an even bake once. A row of tens makes 100.
Crumb or chewA moist, even crumb for a cake; for a cookie, whatever the recipe aims at, chewy or crisp, done well. Counts three times.
Decoration and finishFrosting, piping, shape and neatness. Counts twice.
Evenness of bakeNo raw middle, no burnt edge, and a batch of cookies that match each other.
Top-three ballot tally 4
Ballot pointsFirst-place votes times 3, second-place votes times 2 and third-place votes once. The most points wins the category.
First-place votesHow many judges put this entry first on their ballot. Each vote is worth 3 points.
Second-place votesHow many judges put this entry second. Each vote is worth 2 points.
Third-place votesHow many judges put this entry third. Each vote is worth 1 point.
Adding the judges' cards 6
Judge 1 card totalThe total Judge 1 gave this entry on a printed criteria card, from 10 to 100. Leave the box empty if the panel is smaller.
Judge 2 card totalThe total Judge 2 gave this entry on a printed criteria card, from 10 to 100. Leave the box empty if the panel is smaller.
Judge 3 card totalThe total Judge 3 gave this entry on a printed criteria card, from 10 to 100. Leave the box empty if the panel is smaller.
Judge 4 card totalThe total Judge 4 gave this entry on a printed criteria card, from 10 to 100. Leave the box empty if the panel is smaller.
Judge 5 card totalThe total Judge 5 gave this entry on a printed criteria card, from 10 to 100. Leave the box empty if the panel is smaller.
Panel totalEvery judge's card total added together. With five judges the most an entry can reach is 500.
Scoring key 8
A heading marked × 4 counts four timesThe sheet multiplies for you: an 8 under × 4 adds 32. The weights on a layout add up to 10, so a row of tens makes 100.
Breaking a tie for a prize placeSettle it before judging: the higher taste score is a simple rule. The International Chili Society hands tied cups to three fresh judges, five for a three-way tie, always an odd number.
Number the entries and hide the cooksGive every entry a number and keep the list of cooks away from the judges. Use a clean spoon for every taste and clear the palate with water between entries.
One card per judge, then add the cardsPrint a criteria card for each judge. Afterwards type each card's total beside the entry. The International Chili Society asks for a judge for every two bowls and at least five at a table.
Score each box from 1 to 1010 is the best you could hope for and 1 is a miss. Half points are fine. Judge each entry on its own, not against the one before it.
These criteria are the editors' suggestionsEvery contest sets its own criteria, so none here is official. Agree on the layout before the first bite.
Top-three ballots: 3, 2 and 1 pointsThe method the International Chili Society uses. Each judge names a first, second and third place, and the scorekeeper gives 3, 2 and 1 points a vote.
Where the chili layout comes fromIt follows the judging instructions the International Chili Society publishes: appealing look, pleasing aroma, good taste, tender meat, sauce neither thin nor thick, heat neither bland nor too hot. Its own judges fill in no such boxes.
How this list was compiled: Written by the editors. Every criterion and every weight on the five criteria layouts is the editors' suggestion for a home, office, church or fair contest; none is an official standard, and the weights were chosen to add up to 10 so that a full card comes to 100. The chili layout is modelled on the judging instructions in the International Chili Society's 'Official ICS Judging and Scorekeeping Procedures' (modified 2.27.2025), read on 2026-09-19 at https://www.chilicookoff.com/uploads/2025-26-ICS-Chili-Rules.pdf and named as a reference only: chili that looks appealing, has a pleasing aroma and tastes good; meat tender, not too mushy or too firm, with no preference between diced, ground, shredded or cubed; sauce not too thin or too thick with a balanced ratio of sauce to meat; heat not bland and not too hot; no garnish or topping. The same document is the source for the top-three ballot (each judge writes a first, second and third place; 3, 2 and 1 points a vote; the scorekeeper adds them), the tie-break (only for prize places, by three judges who did not judge the category, five for a three-way tie, always an odd number), one judge for every two bowls with at least five at a table, a clean spoon for each taste, palate cleansers such as water, cups numbered from 1 with the contestant number hidden under the cup, and 20 cups to a judging table. The society's judges do not score criteria, so the six chili boxes and their weights are ours. This sheet is not made, approved or endorsed by the society. Licence: own work