Write a Food Haiku and win a Japanese meal for two, a bottle of premium sake or other prizes.

How about:

Meat, herbs, wine simmer.

The old pot sits on the stove.

Dinner slowly cooks.

Or could that be:

You choose. No, you choose.

Chinese takeaway menu.

Don’t choose the fried rice.

Can you do better?

As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, the Guild of Food Writers has launched a food haiku competition.

Prizes to be won include

FIRST PRIZE: A meal for two at Matsuri St James’s, London SW1

SECOND PRIZE: A bottle of Premium Sake and a year’s membership of the British Sake Association www.britishsakeassociation.com

THIRD PRIZE: A selection of Japanese cookery books.

All winning entries will be published on the Guild’s website.

Haiku Rules
The rules are simple. It must be in haiku format, a graceful and precise form of Japanese poetry usually written in the present tense. An approximation in English is a verse comprising three lines arranged thus:

5 syllables

7 syllables

5 syllables

The haikus can be elegiac, humorous or serious but must all be about food or drink. Titles are optional.

The winning entries will be chosen by a jury selected by the Guild of Food Writers (‘the Guild’).

Note: Although haiku scholars now generally think 13 to 14 syllables is more equivalent to Japanese, the Guild has decided to keep with the popular poetry format above.

Competition Rules

1. Entrants must be over the age of 18 years, and reside in the UK. The Guild reserves the right to request proof of age or residence.

2. Multiple submissions are welcome (but please send them on a single email).

3. Prizes must be taken as stated. No cash alternative will be available, and no transport or incidental expenses will be covered or provided.

4. The competition is open to the public and to members of the Guild and their families (other than members of the Guild committee and anyone involved in the administration and judging of the competition).

5. Entries must be in English and the entrant must be the copyright owner of the work. By contributing your work to the Guild you agree to grant us the right to publish and use the material in all media for all purposes in connection with the competition.

6. Winners will be notified by e-mail or phone before the general announcement. In the event of there being no reply from the telephone number or address supplied the Guild reserves the right to offer the prize to the next runner-up.

7. The decision of the judges is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

8. The Guild of Food Writers reserves the right to change the terms of this contest at any time, or terminate it at any time, at our discretion.

9. Entry into this competition implies acceptance that the competition will operate in the manner as described in all paragraphs above. This competition is administered by the Guild, and entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them when entering the competition.

10. This agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales.

How To Get Involved

Email entries (only) to guild@gfw.co.uk no later than 31 July 2010. Please include your full name, address, telephone number and email address. (No last names of winners will be posted on the website, only first names and place of residence eg Susan, London).