They’ve traveled far and wide across the ‘verse. Rumors swirl of them bartering rare spices in long-forgotten outposts, trading flavor secrets with Xi’an mealmasters on Rā’puāng, and (if the old stories hold any truth) once serving a bite so unusual it gave even a passing Vanduul war party pause. We speak, of course, of Wikelo: explorer, collector, and purveyor of taste. The first Banu resident of Stanton with a palate said to span the stars. Now, they've issued a challenge. Can you make a dish worthy of their attention? Welcome to Wikelo’s Nine Tastes Contest! Sharpen your senses and ready your utensils—our annual culinary contest is back for Alien Week! This year’s epicurean challenge calls on you to show off your culinary chops with the most mouthwatering, Star Citizen-inspired alien-themed creations you can dream up while embracing Banu culinary traditions. Aim to incorporate as many of the biki ndzotayu or Nine Tastes as possible: :salt: Salty :meat_on_bone: Savory :candy: Sweet :hot_pepper: Pungent (acidic/spicy) :tangerine: Bitter :fire: Hot :ice_cube: Cold :custard: Soft :rice_cracker: Crunchy Balance them like a true Essosouli, and let your creation tell a story in every bite. Cook, bake, grill, broil, steam, or prepare your dish however you like, as long as it’s deliciously daring. Submit your dish for a shot at culinary glory… and maybe even a shiny new ship with paints! Before You Begin: Before you start on your submissions, please read the contest rules carefully and remember to post your entries to the Alien Week 2955 event page on the Community Hub and not as a reply to this thread. :exclamation: Any submission not posted to the Community Hub and without ‘Alien Week 2955 - Wikelo's Nine Tastes Contest' in the post title will not be considered. Submissions must also use one of the templates provided to be eligible. :exclamation: How to participate: Cook :fried_egg:: Create a delectable dish with a Star Citizen-specific alien theme. Sweet or savory, it matters not, as long as you incorporate as many of the Nine Tastes of Banu culinary traditions as possible. Snap :camera_with_flash:: Take clear, high-quality photos of your culinary masterpiece. Submit :memo:: Use one of the templates provided and list which of your ingredients corresponds to each of the Nine Tastes on the template. Submit your original creations to the Alien Week 2955 event page on the Community Hub. Remember to include a photograph, the recipe, and the name of the dish! Keep In Mind Read the contest rules! Submissions must include an image of a Star Citizen alien-themed original dish, the dish name, and the recipe for the dish. A recipe must include a list of ingredients for the dish and the method of preparation. The dish must be Star Citizen-specific and not just space- or alien-themed. No image post-processing is allowed. The food may be photographed with decoration arrangement or lighting. Please post your submissions to the Community Hub, specifically to the Alien Week 2955 event page. Replies to this thread will NOT count as a submission. Submissions must use one of the templates provided. The fonts used are Anton SC (Recipe Title & By Author) and Roboto Medium (Ingredients & Method), which are free Google fonts. The font size must be as close as possible to those provided in the templates. Remember to indicate on the template which of your ingredients corresponds to each of the Nine Tastes of Banu culinary traditions. Use 'Alien Week 2955 – Wikelo’s Nine Tastes Contest' as the title for your submission on the Community Hub. Any submission not following the above instructions will NOT be considered. Only ONE submission per participant. Group submissions are NOT allowed. Winning Conditions Our panel will judge your submissions on: Quality Creativity Rule adherence Originality Tastiness Thematic fidelity :exclamation:Originality, tastiness, and incorporation of the Nine Tastes in the recipe carry a lot of weight in determining the winners.:exclamation: Dates The submission period will end on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at 20:00 UTC. Prizes :first_place_medal: 1st Place: Esperia Prowler Utility with LTI (in-game lifetime insurance) + Luminary paint :second_place_medal: 2nd Place: Aopoa San’tok.yai with LTI (in-game lifetime insurance) + Ocellus & Harmony paints :third_place_medal: 3rd Place: Esperia Talon with LTI (in-game lifetime insurance) + Luminary paint All submissions should be Star Citizen alien-themed original creations and posted to the Alien Week 2955 event page on the Community Hub, using one of the templates provided, with 'Alien Week 2955 – Wikelo’s Nine Tastes Contest' as the title to be considered. Don't forget to list which ingredients in your dish correspond to each of the Nine Tastes on the template! Show us something that would stop Wikelo mid-bite. They want flavor harmony so tight it sings. This is their challenge. Are you ready to serve it? We can't wait to see you come up with! UPDATE: Culinary Citizens, You certainly rose to Wikelo's challenge—choosing the winners was no easy feat! From dishes that looked absolutely divine to others that were tantalizingly monstrous, you pushed the limits of flavor and imagination, leaving us in awe, and occasionally questioning whether we should take a bite. After much deliberation (and a bit of digestion), we’re finally ready to announce the winners. Congratulations to: :first_place_medal: 1st Place: @HurtFixer - Contest Submission :second_place_medal: 2nd Place: @GXB - Contest Submission :third_place_medal: 3rd Place: @Micnatic - Contest Submission The winners will receive their prizes in the next few days. Thank you to everyone who participated! Your creativity and culinary courage made this one of the most delightfully difficult contests we’ve ever judged. We were thrilled by every single entry—and, admittedly, a little terrified at times.