Cook-Off for the Coast 2024
In its sixth year, the Cook-Off for the Coast 2024 was our largest and most successful Cook-Off to date!
Over $20,000 was raised through sponsorships, donations and merch sales, and more than 2,000 attendees came out to enjoy the delicious food and plentiful sunshine at Docville Farm on February 24th.
As always money raised will go to coastal restoration projects in St. Bernard Parish. This year the Cook-Off will be supporting the Chandeleur Sound Living Shoreline Project, a partnership with Nunez Community College and Chalmette High School that creates and places artificial reefs to slow erosion, as well as the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program, which collects oyster shells from New Orleans-area restaurants and places them back on the coast, creating living shorelines with both wildlife and storm protection benefits.
Sixteen cook teams used a variety of fish and game species found along Louisiana’s coast, from shrimp to wild boar, to create some delicious dishes and provide free samples for Cook-Off attendees. Brightside Oysters, Bayou Rosa Oysters and Grand Isle Sea Farms with their Southern Belles were also on hand, shucking some yummy Louisiana shellfish for everyone to enjoy!
If that wasn’t fun enough, Louis Michot of the Grammy-award winning Lost Bayou Ramblers was on hand to provide some Cajun French tunes, which paired perfectly with the local food and stellar weather. Special musical guests JUCO and the Chalmette High School Brass Band helped to bookend the event and showcase the musical talents of St. Bernard students.
Our five judges, actor Hick Cheramie, WWNO reporter Halle Parker, local sportsman Todd Masson, Chef Mina Seck and Chef Gregory Rosary picked their favorite dishes across our five categories:
THE WINNERS!
Swims: Team White Fleet with their Semi-Blackened Jalapeno-Infused Tuna Bites
Flies: Make Our Coast Great Again with their Goose Tacos
Crawls: Old Fashioned Gun and Social Club with their Venison Chili
Student: Chalmette High School with their Fried Soft-Shell Crab Ravigote
Crowd Favorite: Team Mudda Roux, the defending crowd favorite champs, with their White Beans and Shrimp!
Other fun activities included our Coastal Art Competition featuring wetland-inspired artwork from students and adults Chef Dana Honn of Cafe Carmo and Porgy’s Seafood Market demonstrated how to cook his delicious Enchilado de Camarones recipe, Chef Kevin Belton as our event emcee and a record number of tabling organizations, many who brought along a variety of family-friendly activities and information on how to get involved in the fight to protect our coast.
Thank you again to our partners, Vanishing Paradise and the Meraux Foundation, as well as our event sponsors, Chalmette Refining, Bernard and Franks, Bienville Capital Group, Boasso Construction, Rita and Floyd Gue, Sidney Torres Law Firm, Beau’s Feed and Pets, Clements Insurance, Clements Physical Therapy, Common Ground Relief, Delacroix Corporation, Edward Jones, Graves Public Service, Lansou Construction, Ragusa, Two C’s Enterprises, Chefs Brigade, Gulf Coast Bank, NOLA Woodworks, Pirogue’s Whiskey Bayou, Republic Services, St. Bernard Parish Government and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office.
Thank you to our cook teams, judges, bands, emcee, tabling organizations and YOU for coming out to support such a great cause!
We can’t wait for next year, and believe it or not, we’ve already started planning for Cook-Off 2025. If you’re interested in showing off your culinary skills and leading a cook team, becoming a sponsor or getting involved , contact Samantha Carter at carters@nwf.org
We’ll spend the next 365 days hoping we get lucky with the weather AGAIN in 2025. Until then, make sure you keep up with us at CoastCookOff.com as well as on Instagram, @cook_off4coast and Facebook @CookOfffortheCoast.
Couldn’t make it this year? There are other ways to help.
We know you, like most Louisianians, care deeply about our coast. Building on the Cook-Off’s momentum, we’d like you to join us in making your dedication to our coast known to Louisiana lawmakers during the upcoming legislative session. Learn more here.