La. chefs ready to compete

BATON ROUGE — Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board will host the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off on Saturday. The ninth annual cook-off will showcase the talent of 11 chefs from various cities across Louisiana, each vying for the title of king or queen of Louisiana seafood.
The chefs are ready to take the stage at the competition, held at the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience in the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
LASCO is an opportunity for the culinary scene in Louisiana to pause and appreciate the bountiful supply of superior Louisiana seafood, according to the event sponsors news release. The state’s nutrient-rich estuaries and 7,721 miles of shoreline provide Louisiana chefs, and consumers, with more 8 million pounds of seafood, annually.
This year’s competitors and their restaurants are:
—Chef Bradley Andries, Sac-a-lait (New Orleans).
—Chef Brian Bajon, Barcadia (New Orleans).
—Chef Lyle Broussard, Jack Daniel’s Bar and Grill (Lake Charles).
—Chef Ryan Gaudet, Spahr’s Seafood (Des Allemands).
—Chef Celeste Gill, Cooking Up Louisiana Treasure (Baton Rouge).
—Chef Frederick Ngo, Jimmy’s Seafood & Steak (Bossier City).
—Chef Blake Phillips, Restaurant Sage (Monroe).
—Chef Mark Quitney, Roux Bistro (New Orleans).
—Chef Nathan Richard, Kingfish Kitchen & Cocktails (New Orleans).
—Chef Amy Sins, Langlois (New Orleans).
—Chef Scott Varnedoe, Restaurant IPO (Baton Rouge).
The competition is held at the NOWFE’s Grand Tasting, which opens its doors to the public at 6 p.m. The winn will be crowned at 8:30 p.m.
Hosts for this year’s competition are celebrity chef Jeff Henderson, host of “Flip My Food,” and 2011 King of Louisiana Seafood Chef Cory Bahr of Monroe.
Those purchasing tickets to the Grand Tasting will be able to watch the competition. Information on tickets can be found online at NOWFE.com.
For more information on the competing chefs and the event, visit LouisianaSeafoodCookOff.com. All competitors are members of the Louisiana Restaurant Association and the winner will move on to compete against chefs from across the nation in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off to be held Aug. 6, at the Louisiana Restaurant Association Show.