At Reynolds, we recognize that to have a good time, you’ll often need to put in some hard work first. Nowhere is that more evident than at the annual employee cook-off event.

The cook-off is an annual tradition at Reynolds. Each year for the cook-off, Reynolds associates form teams that come together to put their culinary, hosting, and entertainment skills to the test in front of other associates, family members, and friends. While it’s evident the cook-off is a lot of fun for employees and guests alike, what’s not as readily apparent is how much teamwork, planning, and elbow grease that goes on behind the scenes to make the event successful and enjoyable.

My first introduction to the cook-off came only weeks after I started with the company. My teammates were already hard at work planning – and scheming – for how they could win. I quickly saw how much effort they were putting into having a successful booth: everything from creative food options to decorations to what to wear. It was a whirlwind of activity and I helped out wherever I could, but I knew I wanted to be even more involved in the future.

So when it came time to sign up for the next year’s cook-off, I was ready to come off the sidelines. I had experience with craftiness, competition, and leadership, and was inspired by the previous year’s fun. I agreed immediately to be the “head chef” for our department’s cook-off booth.

To plan that year’s booth, my teammates and I tossed around many, many theme ideas – most of them outlandish and impossible. After much discussion, we landed on a theme that could appeal to nearly everyone: Oktoberfest!

As we prepared for the cook-off, we worked as a team: thinking of what food to serve, getting creative with booth decorating ideas, searching for just the right costumes and more. Everyone was invested in the team’s success and all eyes were on the prize.

On the day of the cook-off, we all were excited for the debut of our booth. We put on our game faces and were ready to do one thing: WIN!

So did we?

The short answer is “no,” but that’s not the most important thing. What’s important is we worked hard, had a lot of fun, and we did it all as a team.

Although come to think about it, winning the cook-off would’ve been nice… Here’s to next year!