New Orleans- Cory Bahr, executive chef of Restaurant Sage in Monroe, will represent the state of Louisiana at the Great American Seafood Cook Off in New Orleans on Saturday, August 6. Bahr won the Louisiana Seafood Cook Off earlier this year to secure his spot in the August 6th event – one of the most prestigious culinary competitions in the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the prime sponsor for the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, which emphasizes the importance of cooking with domestic and sustainable seafood.
In New Orleans, Bahr will compete against more than a dozen top seafood chefs from across the country for the title of “King” or “Queen” of American Seafood. The chefs will showcase sustainable fish and shellfish that are native to their home states.
“The Great American Seafood Cook Off serves as valuable platform to raise awareness of the domestic fishing industry and highlights importance of maintaining sustainable fisheries today and for generations to come,” said Ewell Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, which produces the Cook Off. “We are thrilled that Chef Bahr and talented chefs from across the nation are joining us to showcase the array of seafood that comes from American coasts, rivers and lakes.”
“As a Louisianan, seafood has always been central to my creations in the kitchen,” said Bahr, a native of Monroe. “One advantage we have in Louisiana is our seafood is abundant throughout the year. In fact, each season brings with it a new seafood harvest and this makes my job particularly exciting.”
Raised in Louisiana, Bahr apprenticed in kitchens from Atlanta to New Orleans before returning to Monroe full-time. He credits his grandmother as the single biggest contributor to his culinary inspiration, and says he’s been cooking with Louisiana ingredients since childhood. Bahr created a “North Delta Bouillabaisse” at the Louisiana Seafood Cook Off in May and he intends to prepare a variation of this winning dish at the national competition on August 6th.
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 14 chefs registered representing such states as Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.
Judging the 2011 competition are: Patricia Mack, food journalist and regional editor for Gayot.com; 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.
Prior winners of the Great American Seafood Cook Off include Dean Max of 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale, FL; Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans; John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford, MS; Tim Thomas of the Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, GA; Justin Timineri, Executive Chef for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Randy Evans of Brennan’s of Houston, and John Besh of Restaurant August in New Orleans.
Great American Seafood Cook Off sponsors include NOAA and FishWatch, Loubat Food Service Equipment, The Louisiana Restaurant Association, LouisianaTravel.com, Budweiser, Southwest Cargo, Tabasco and Whole Foods Market. The event also receives support from the National Fisheries Institute, Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council, Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Mississippi Seafood, Royal Sonesta Hotel, Waterford Crystal, Hammer Stahl, Bayou Classic Cookware. A special thanks also to media sponsors, Culinary Concierge, Gulfscapes Magazine, Louisiana Cookin’, Louisiana Public Broadcasting and Seafood Business.
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. Opening ceremonies will be at 11:30 and the winner will be announced at 4 p.m.
PLEASE NOTE: While the cook-off is open to the public, the Louisiana Foodservice EXPO is for foodservice industry professionals only. Security personnel will be onsite to monitor event barriers. Registered EXPO attendees will be allowed access to both events.
Source: Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board
