re: I'm competing in a cookoff this Thursday at work. What to cook?

I'd NOT want to make anything that requires individual portioning for a work group that large. Does your office have a real kitchen, can you reheat, or does it have to be "ready to go" without any last minute prep?

Hmm. I'd probably do a side-by-side shrimp remoulade: one red remoulade, one white remoulade. Go find a dual-compartment serving dish, line w/shredded iceberg or leaf lettuce, and heap the two diff versions on either side of the dish. Make a pile of thin parmesan toasts/crostini to offer on the side of the remoulade.

Or how about an old-school hot crab dip? Saute a little bit of finely chopped (really, really fine) onion, garlic and celery; incorporate this into a bechamel seasoned with nutmeg, white pepper, fontina cheese, and minced parsley. Once it's just bubbly,gently fold in crabmeat. Put into a microwave safe serving dish or chafer. Bake a bunch of phyllo cups, mini patty shells or barquettes. Offer the hot crab dip w/the patty shells alongside. Or skip the pastry shells and offer the aforementioned crostini.