“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, the Seafood Board’s executive director. Chef Cody Carroll of Hot Tails Restaurant and his wife Samantha work hard to prepare their dish for the judges. Photo: Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board
by Louisiana Seafood News Staff
In front of a crowd of hundreds, ten chefs from across Louisiana vied for the coveted culinary title of Louisiana Seafood King during the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience’s Grand Tasting event held over the Memorial Day weekend.
Chef Cody Carroll of Hot Tails Restaurant in New Roads was crowned King of Louisiana Seafood after winning the 6th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off presented by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board (LSPMB).
Third place finisher Chef Guy Sockrider of Tomas Bistro (left) and runner-up Chef Tommy DiGiovanni of Arnaud’s join winner Chef Cody Carroll. Photo: Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board
Carroll, assisted by his wife Chef Samantha Carroll, captivated the judges the most with his Louisiana Speckled Trout Perdu and Red Swamp Crawfish, accompanied by sweet corn & blue crab callas, 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, the Seafood Board’s executive director. “Our seafood community is built around families and Chefs Cody and Samantha Carroll will represent our industry well.”
Taking second place in the competition 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 third for his Pecan-Crusted Gulf Cobia with Crab and Pecan Relish.
Chef Dean Terrebonne from Belle Terre Country Club spicing up his creation of Pan-Seared Red Snapper with a Tabasco, Cumin & Sherry Red Onion Confit Sauce topped with Louisiana Lump Crab. Photo: Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board
The coming year for seafood king 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, he will represent Louisiana in the 10th annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off held in New Orleans the first of August.
“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.
Judges for the Louisiana 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 Chefs representing Tomas Bistro, Wine Country Bistro, Red Fish Grill, Bayona, 18 Steak, Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro, Belle Terre, Crawfish Town USA, Arnaud’s and Hot Tails before start of thecook-off. Photo: Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board
“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.”
Sponsors for this year’s cook-off included Louisiana Life Magazine, McIlhenny Company/TABASCO Brand Products, Louisiana Restaurant Association and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
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