CALIFORNIA WALNUTS x STARCHEFS
Discovery Week Feedback Contest — Terms and Conditions

FULL OFFICIAL RULES

OFFICIAL RULES

PURCHASE OF THE FEATURED MENU ITEM AT A PARTICIPATING RESTAURANT IS REQUIRED TO ENTER. THIS IS A CONTEST OF SKILL. THE WINNER WILL BE SELECTED BASED ON THE QUALITY OF SUBMITTED FEEDBACK. CHANCE PLAYS NO PART IN DETERMINING THE WINNER.

SPONSOR

The California Walnuts x StarChefs Discovery Week Feedback Contest (“Contest”) is sponsored by the California Walnut Board (“Sponsor”), in connection with StarChefs Inc.’s Discovery Week program. Revelry Agency administers the Contest on Sponsor’s behalf (“Administrator”).

CONTEST PERIOD

The Contest begins at 12:00:00 a.m. Pacific Time ("PT") on November 4, 2026 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. PT on November 18, 2026 (the “Contest Period”). Sponsor’s designated computer and timekeeping system shall be the official timekeeping device for the Contest. To be eligible, Entries must be received during the Contest Period.

ELIGIBILITY

The Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old and have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry. Entry requires purchasing the applicable Featured Menu Item at one of the six participating restaurants in New York City or Los Angeles, California identified in Exhibit A (the “Participating Restaurants”), “Featured Menu Item” means the restaurant-specific menu item identified for each Participating Restaurant in Exhibit A that incorporates California walnut cream as part of the promotion. Employees, officers and directors of Sponsor, Administrator, StarChefs Inc., the Participating Restaurants, and their respective affiliates and agencies, and members of their immediate families or households, are not eligible to enter. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

HOW TO ENTER

During the Contest Period, eligible participants must order and purchase the applicable Featured Menu Item at a Participating Restaurant, then scan the QR code provided on in-venue materials and complete the California Walnuts feedback survey, including all required open-ended response fields (the “Entry”).

Completion and submission of one eligible survey constitutes one Entry. Limit one (1) Entry per person during the Contest Period, regardless of the number of Participating Restaurants visited or surveys completed. Sponsor may disqualify any Entry that Sponsor determines, in good-faith and reasonable discretion, is generated by automated means, is materially duplicative, is fraudulent, is incomplete, or otherwise violates these Official Rules.

Featured Menu Items are available only during the applicable Participating Restaurant’s regular operating hours and designated service periods, while supplies last. Restaurant hours, reservations, seating, and menu availability are controlled by the applicable Participating Restaurant and may vary. An eligible entrant who purchases a Featured Menu Item during the Contest Period may submit the corresponding Entry at any time before the end of the Contest Period.

By submitting an Entry, entrant represents that the feedback is their own original work and is based on their personal experience with the Featured Menu Item. Entries must not contain content that is obscene, defamatory, infringing, or otherwise objectionable, as determined by Sponsor. Entrant grants Sponsor, Administrator and StarChefs Inc. a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, reproduce and publish the Entry, in whole or in part, for promotional, research and reporting purposes, with or without attribution.

As part of the Entry, the entrant must identify the Participating Restaurant and date of purchase and certify that the entrant personally purchased the applicable Featured Menu Item during the Contest Period. Sponsor may require reasonable proof of purchase to verify eligibility, provided that any such requirement is applied consistently to all entrants.

Use of multiple email addresses, identities, devices, or other methods to submit more than one Entry by the same person is prohibited. If multiple Entries are received from the same person, Sponsor may retain only the first eligible Entry received and disqualify the remainder.

Sharing a photo or post about the Featured Menu Item on social media, including tagging @StarChefs and @CAWalnuts, is optional, is not required to enter or win, and will not be considered in judging. Sponsor, Administrator and StarChefs Inc. may repost any such public posts for promotional purposes with credit to the original poster.

FOOD ALLERGY NOTICE

Each Featured Menu Item contains walnuts. Individuals with a walnut or other tree-nut allergy should not order or consume a Featured Menu Item. Because purchase of the walnut-cream Featured Menu Item is required for entry, entrants are responsible for reviewing available ingredient and allergen information and for communicating any dietary restrictions directly to the applicable Participating Restaurant before ordering. Each Participating Restaurant is responsible for responding to ingredient and cross-contact inquiries regarding its respective Featured Menu Item. Entrants participate in this Contest at their own risk. In no event shall Sponsor, Administrator, or StarChefs Inc. be held liable for any injury if any entrant with a tree-nut allergy consumes a Featured Menu Item with the intent of participating in this contest. 

PRIZE

One (1) winner will receive $1,500, awarded in the form of a check. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $1,500.

The prize is non-transferable and may not be substituted by the winner; however, if the advertised prize becomes unavailable for any reason, Sponsor may substitute a prize of equal or greater approximate retail value, in Sponsor’s good-faith discretion, subject to applicable law.

All federal, state and local taxes on the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. The potential winner must provide a properly completed IRS Form W-9 and any other information reasonably required for tax reporting before the prize is awarded. Sponsor will report the prize value as required by applicable law. The winner is solely responsible for payment of any and all applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

JUDGING AND WINNER SELECTION

This is a contest of skill. One (1) winner will be selected from all eligible Entries received during the Contest Period by a judging panel designated by Sponsor, composed of representatives of Sponsor and/or its agencies and program partners (the “Judges”). Chance plays no part in determining the winner.

Entries will be evaluated on the open-ended survey responses according to the following criteria, weighted equally:

(a) Specificity — the degree to which the feedback describes the entrant’s actual experience with the Featured Menu Item, including flavor, texture, overall composition, and the incorporation of California walnut cream;

(b) Usefulness — the degree to which the feedback provides actionable insight regarding the Featured Menu Item, the use of California walnut cream, or the Discovery Week promotion;

(c) Clarity and thoughtfulness — the overall quality, coherence and care of the written response.

The Judges will continue evaluation until a single winner is determined; no ties will be awarded. Judging will be completed on or before December 1, 2026. The decisions of the Judges are final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest.

The potential winner will be notified by email using the contact information provided with their survey response, on or before December 3, 2026. The potential winner may be required to confirm eligibility, sign an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release, provide a completed Form W-9, and provide any other information reasonably necessary to award the prize, within seven (7) days of notification.

If the potential winner cannot be contacted, is determined ineligible, or fails to timely respond, the potential winner will forfeit the prize, and Sponsor may award the prize to the next highest-scoring eligible Entry as determined by the Judges.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

By participating, entrants agree to comply with these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor and the Judges regarding the Contest.

Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entrant who attempts to tamper with the entry process, submit fraudulent or duplicate entries, interfere with administration of the Contest, or otherwise violate these Official Rules.

Sponsor reserves the right, subject to applicable law, to cancel, suspend, modify or terminate the Contest if fraud, technical failure, unauthorized intervention or other circumstances beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control affect the integrity or proper administration of the Contest. Sponsor and Administrator decisions are final and binding.

RELEASE AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the extent permitted by law, by participating, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor, Administrator, StarChefs Inc., the Participating Restaurants, the Judges, and their respective affiliates, officers, directors, employees and agents from claims, losses, damages or liabilities arising from participation in the Contest or acceptance, possession or use of the prize, except where prohibited by law.

PRIVACY

Personal information submitted in connection with the Contest will be used to administer and evaluate the Contest, verify eligibility and purchase, contact the potential winner, award and report the prize, prevent fraud, and conduct Sponsor’s research and reporting concerning the Featured Menu Items and promotion. Information may be disclosed to Administrator, StarChefs Inc., the Participating Restaurants, survey and technology providers, professional advisers, and governmental authorities to the extent reasonably necessary for those purposes. Sponsor will retain Contest information for the period reasonably necessary to administer the Contest, satisfy legal and tax obligations, resolve disputes, and maintain appropriate business records. Additional information concerning Sponsor’s privacy practices and applicable privacy rights are available at walnuts.org.

GOVERNING LAW

The Contest and these Official Rules are subject to applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Any additional governing-law, dispute-resolution or other provisions required by Sponsor must be incorporated, if at all, following Legal review and no later than the close of the Contest Period. No such provisions will be added, and no changes will be made to the governing-law or dispute-resolution terms of these Official Rules, after the Contest Period has ended.

CONTROLLING TERMS

These Official Rules govern the Contest and control over any abbreviated, summary or shortened statement of these rules (including the “MENU CARD: Abbreviated Rules” summary appearing above) and over any other promotional or advertising materials referencing the Contest. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between these Official Rules and any such abbreviated, summary, promotional or advertising materials, these Official Rules will govern, and any determination by Sponsor shall be final and binding.