AMIC Judging Revamp

Sausage King and Best Butcher’s Burger has long been one of the highlights of the AMIC calendar — a chance for members across the country to showcase their craft and be recognised by their peers. As the program continues to grow, AMIC is investing in the foundations that will support it for years to come, and the next step in that work is a national approach to judging. 

Over recent months, AMIC has been developing a consistent judging protocol that will apply across every state competition, ensuring entrants are assessed against the same standard no matter where they compete. 

This builds directly on the strong regional traditions members already know and trust, bringing a shared framework to how entries are tasted, scored and recognised nationally. 

Under the new protocol, entries will be judged by a panel of three, with the Chief Judge tasting and scoring alongside the other two. Scoring is based on four criteria — Workmanship, Post-Cooking appearance, Texture & Consistency, and Flavour & Aroma — using a clear 1–4 scale designed to reflect realistic, achievable standards rather than an all-or-nothing pass mark. 

Where scores are tied, a Borda Count method will be used to determine the result, and standard palate cleansers will be available at every judging station to keep the process fair and consistent from entry to entry. 

The new protocol also introduces Gold, Silver and Bronze medal recognition, awarded based on the scores an entry achieves rather than where it places against other entrants. 

This means a strong entry can be recognised with a medal even in a highly competitive field, giving members a clearer and more consistent measure of quality alongside the traditional placings. 

The new judging protocol has been benchmarked against other respected national programs, giving members confidence that Sausage King and Best Butcher’s Burger stands alongside the best food competitions in the country. 

This work has been guided by a small working group of experienced members, and AMIC is grateful for the time and expertise they’ve contributed to getting the detail right. Further information on the updated judging protocol, category specifications and entry process will be shared with members in the coming months as the program moves toward the next state and national rounds. 

We look forward to seeing the results on the bench.