NEW ORLEANS — Chef Cody Carroll of Hot Tails Restaurant in New Roads was crowned King of Louisiana Seafood today after winning the 6th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off presented by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board (LSPMB).
In front of a crowd hundreds, ten chefs from across Louisiana vied for the coveted culinary title of Louisiana Seafood King today during the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience's Grand Tasting event. It was Carroll, assisted by his wife Chef Samantha Carroll, who captivated the judges the most with his Louisiana Speckled Trout Perdu and Étouffée of Red Swamp Crawfish, accompanied by sweet corn & blue crab calas, whipped Creole potato salad, house-pickled banana pepper, charred green onion and sassafras, and Tabasco® sabayon.
"How wonderful it is for Louisiana Seafood to have another husband and wife team win the cook-off for a second year in a row," said Ewell Smith, Executive Director of LSPMB. "Our seafood community is built around families and Chefs Cody and Samantha Carroll will represent our industry well."
The coming year as seafood king for Carroll will be a busy one. In addition to acting as an ambassador and spokesperson for the Louisiana seafood industry at events throughout the year, Carroll will represent Louisiana in the 10th annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off on August 3 in New Orleans.
"I'm excited about winning today and even more excited to represent Louisiana at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off and show the judges that Louisiana has the best seafood in the world," said Carroll.
The Great American Seafood Cook-Off, also presented by LSPMB, is the nation's most prestigious seafood competition showcasing domestic, sustainable seafood and features premiere chefs from across the nation. Competing chefs create unique dishes with domestic seafood native to their home states. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is the primary sponsor for the two-day national event held during the Louisiana Foodservice EXPO in the New Orleans Morial Convention Center.
Coming in 2nd place today was Chef Tommy DiGiovanni of Arnaud's in New Orleans with his Potato-Encrusted Cobia on Cauliflower Celeriac Puree, Tomato Jus and Pancetta Lardon. Chef Guy Sockrider of Tomas Bistro in New Orleans placed 3rd for his Pecan-Crusted Gulf Cobia with Crab and Pecan Relish.
Judges for the cook-off included Rein Fertel, contributing writer to national and regional publications, including Garden & Gun Magazine; Chef Tenney Flynn, Executive Chef of GW Fins; Errol Laborde, Editor-in-Chief of Louisiana Life Magazine; and, Megan Murphy, New York-based food writer, blogger, host and creator of ThisGirlCanEat.com. Chefs Keith and Nealy Frentz, the 2012 King and Queen of Louisiana Seafood and co-owners of LOLA Restaurant in Covington, LA, presented the crown during the coronation of the new King of Louisiana Seafood.
"Louisiana has some of the best seafood in the country and I admire all of the chefs participating today," said Murphy. "Chef Carroll's dish set the bar very high and I kept thinking of his dish throughout the competition."
The Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off was supported by Louisiana Life Magazine, McIlhenny Company/TABASCO® Brand Products, Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA), and the Louisiana Office of Tourism. For more information about the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board and the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off, visit www.LouisianaSeafood.com and www.louisianaseafoodcookoff.com
The LSPMB was created in 1984 by the state of Louisiana to support their vast historical commercial fisheries industry. The Board is composed of 15 members and each member represents a sector of the industry: harvesters, processors, wholesalers, restaurateurs/retailers, fisheries resource managers, public health officers and marketing specialists.
Source: Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board
