Earlier this year, organizers of The Great American Seafood Cook-Off encouraged states to hold a qualifying round or appoint a chef to compete in the event. There are currently 13 chefs registered representing such states as Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia. The 2011 Great American Seafood Cook Off is endorsed by the National Restaurant Association and will be audited by the National Fisheries Institute.
Judging the 2011 competition are: Chef Rick Moonen, an advocate for sustainable seafood, restaurateur, cookbook author and finalist in Top Chef Masters; Laura McIntosh, host of traveling cooking show Bringing It Home; Chef Roland Schaefer of the American Academy of Chefs; Melissa Kogut, executive director of the Chefs Collaborative, and Will Blunt, managing editor of StarChefs.com.
The Great American Seafood Cook Off will take place on Saturday, August 6th at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans during the Louisiana Foodservice Expo. The Cook-Off is open to the public and tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. Opening ceremonies begin at 11:30 a.m. and closing ceremonies will be at 4 p.m. Participating chefs will create unique dishes with domestic seafood, and utilize fish that’s native to their home state.
