PETALUMA, Calif., Jan. 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A California resident did the touchdown dance all the way to the BCS Championship in Pasadena, thanks to her tailgate recipe skills. Laurie Figone, of Petaluma, Calif., submitted her "San Francisco 49er Surf and Turf Tailgate Style" dish to the Cookoff Before Kickoff online recipe contest where she was selected out of a competitive batch of college and NFL tailgate-inspired recipes. Figone's win earned her a trip for two to the BCS Championship.
Cookoff Before Kickoff, presented by Cheez-It®, Coca-Cola®, Coke Zero®, Glad®, Heinz®, Hidden Valley®, Kingsford®, Lea & Perrins®, M &M's®, Mr. Yoshida's®, On the Border®, Sam's Club®, Snickers® and Tyson®, is a nation-wide recipe tour traveling ahead of some of the biggest college rivalry games, showcasing tailgate tips and tricks to help spice up game-day menus. Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe and the 2013 World Recipe Champion, Beth Peterson served as this season's tour hosts who visited over 20 cities and local Sam's Club® locations demonstrating the recipes. As the online recipe contest winner, Figone joined the Cookoff Before Kickoff crew at one of their Pasadena activations where she got to demonstrate her recipe in front of a live audience.
"I'm all about using fresh, local ingredients," said Figone. "Dungeness crab is in season, and I love sourdough French bread and the San Francisco 49ers."
Figone's recipe is a grilled sourdough French bread topped with a grilled, medium-rare filet mignon, with a chardonnay sauce, fresh Dungeness crab and drizzled with homemade Louie dressing. Having competing in the recipe contest circuit since 2009, Figone has racked up ten contests wins, scoring major prize money and trips to destinations such as New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Scotland.
MEDIA REQUESTS: To schedule an interview or cooking segment with Laurie Figone, please contact Jeff Morris at jeffm@mmacreative.com or 615-297-6886.
For more information and to check out Figone's winning recipe, visit www.cookoffbeforekickoff.com.
About Trybe Targeting
Trybe Targeting was launched in 2009 as the food and enthusiast marketing division of MMA Creative Inc., a 23−year−old marketing and advertising agency with offices in Nashville, Cookeville, Tenn. and Orlando, Fla. Trybe Targeting is the agency of record to the Kansas City Barbeque Society, International Chili Society, the American Pie Council, and World's Championship Chili Cookoff. Trybe Targeting also helped develop the 2011 Inaugural Sam's Club National BBQ Tour, the richest competition series in barbecue history, and the $300,000 World Food Championships, the ultimate culinary competition.