What’s it like to be a Soup Challenge finalist? Well, you’re treated like a star! And in this post we want to give you some highlights for what to expect if your recipe is selected for your regional final:

• A nutritional analysis of your recipe by the largest independent evaluator of nutrition facts in the world
• For those coming to the event from afar, a travel stipend and bed+breakfast stay
• A knock-your-socks-off professional setting to prepare your recipe (more on this later!)
• Media coverage of all your glory
• New England Country Soup samples
• A personalized Soup Challenge apron to remember the day

Tap into your Experimental Chef side with these gadgets:

Infrared Thermometer: $29.97

Test the temp of your sous vide  or quickly monitor how your bubbling batch of crazy flavored hard candies are doing.

Cooking for Geeks: $19.76

As an Experimental Chef, you’ll never need another reference. Contains details for cooking, hacking, and general geekery.

Personalized Branding Iron: $16.99

Brand the night away, and no, you are not limited to steaks and other cuts of meat. Try pieces of fruit, your morning toast, or decorate a cake with a personalized design rather than those passe sprinkles.

Toastabags: $8.99

Yes, you like to experiment with new fancy culinary tricks, but sometimes you just want a simple sandwich. These toastabags will quickly satisfy your hunger while maintaining your geeky-chef repertoire.

Microwave-proof bowls: $ 21.19 

Did you know how many different things you can microwave? Does the fact that single serving scrambled eggs and ooey-gooey brownies are made possible by that little heat box? Then these microwave safe bowls and containers are for you.

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Tap into your Old School Cooking Self with these old standbys:

Cheat Sheet Apron: $29.99

This apron printed with all the measurements you’ll ever need in the kitchen is just the thing for those moments when you need to cook ‘by the book.’

Adjustable Rolling Pin: $19.99

Another must-have for any precision baker. Adjust the rings to make perfect pie crusts, exactly measured biscuits, or any other roll-able edible.

Manly Meat-Handlers: $15

So yes, you like to cook by the rules and follow the recipe, but you also aren’t keen on too many electrical appliances cluttering your counter. In the end, you like to do things the traditional way: by hand. These handheld meat do-alls are for you.

The Grand-Mother of All Spatulas: $20

Nothing like a multitasking uber spatula.

Chic Recipe Cards: $14

Of course you have an email account and, sure, you’ll share your winning chocolate chip cookie recipe. But you’d prefer to write it by hand. Like your mom did and her mom before her. Plain and simple.

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Tap into your Gushing Gastronome self with these simple tools:

People Towels: $6.99

A Gushing Gastronome likes to keep things simple and provide great tasting and comforting food for their loved ones. But try as you might, there will always be messes, be they little or large, and a having a People Towel on hand can help clean things up. Wipe down a counter, the corner of your mouth, or the sniffles from your little one’s nose.

The New Tea Stick: $16.95

You’re the kind of cook who always has the kettle on and is sure to offer your guest a hot beverage.

Milk Frother Supreme: $14.95-$19.95 (depending on color)

Nothing says comfort like a nice frothy top on a mug of cold chocolate milk or a nice steamy latte. By the way…this makes killer mini milkshakes too.

Bodum Chocolatiere: $28.34

So, perhaps your guests prefer something more substantial than tea. Of course you are obliging, and if you have this little beauty on hand and you can wow your visitors with a cup of French-style hot cocoa.

Spice Rack: $23

Sugar and spice and everything nice. If you have everything on hand, from ancho chili to nutmeg, you can quickly add a dash of this or that to give your final loving touch to any recipe.

Soldering Creme Brulee Torch:  $12.97

When you want to show you love your dinner guests you pull out all the stops. But wanting to stick to your comfortable personality, you opt for an elegant yet simple dessert. Combining decadence with ease, the creme brulee is your go to sweet treat. Having this super torch around will keep you in caramelized custard indefinitely.

So, as you can tell, it pays to share your soup recipes. Be sure to stay tuned as the finalists are announced next week (so you know who to befriend, of course!) or enter for the chance to win for yourself!