Emilio Urban, a coastal eatery in Orange Beach, showcased dishes that included spicy covia, blue crab basque cheesecake, brittle bacon infused with burnt honey, watermelon pearls, and a lemon drop pepper beer blanc, garnished with fresh herbs.
Austin Salinas, the chef from Huntsville’s Hatch Restaurant, served poached red snapper along with ginger coal ra bislaw, sushi rice wrapped in shisola, and garden pesto.
In Florence, Chef Megan Vanderford of Odette offered slaked flounder alongside pork and crayfish rice dressing, a garden salsa verde dubbed Kodachrome, and burnt broccolini.
Judges evaluated entries based on several criteria such as presentation, overall impression, serving techniques, creativity, practicality, ingredient harmony, and flavor profiles like taste and texture.
The Alabama Seafood Cook-Off was formerly managed by the Alabama Seafood Marketing Committee but has now transitioned to Sweet-Grown Alabama, an initiative stemming from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry.
Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate mentioned that it’s essential to promote Alabama’s wild seafood. He remarked, “We were among the last states to realize the importance of supporting local producers. It’s crucial we enhance this effort.” He emphasized that promoting seafood is a natural progression for the state, which has a variety of local proteins.
Chris Blankenship, who heads the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), noted that the Seafood Marketing Committee operated under ADCNR for nearly 13 years using funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement.
Commissioner Blankenship added, “The committee reassessed our resources and what’s sustainable in the long term. Connecting with Sweet Alabama is beneficial, especially since they’re already focused on promoting local produce and proteins.”
He expressed optimism about seafood marketing aligning with Sweet-Grown Alabama’s initiatives, highlighting their solid program and recent funding from Congress, which could provide long-term support for blending seafood marketing with local agriculture.
Related: Alabama Seafood Capital Mayor praises Trump’s tariff plans for “reforming our country.”
