Tory McPhail of Commander's Palace was crowned King of American Seafood at the sixth annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on Saturday.
The Louisiana chef's Creole Seafood Mixed Grill featuring sheepshead, shrimp and blue crab beat out 14 other seafood dishes to capture the title. His Louisiana Seafood Mixed Grill featuring black drum, shrimp and blue crab took first place at the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off in late May.
"We get sheepshead for USD 4.50 a pound and fresh jumbo lump crabmeat at USD 12.50 a pound," McPhail told the Times-Picayune on Saturday. "Everything on this plate is a great value, and we're trying to make something that's economical and affordable for families."
New Jersey's Peter Fischbach placed second with his pan-seared dayboat scallop dish and Alaska's Patrick Hoogerhyde finished third with his Alaska king salmon dish.
Great American Seafood Cook-Off, which took place during the Louisiana Foodservice Expo at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, showcases domestic, sustainable seafood. Competing chefs are required to use seafood native to their home state.
In addition to Louisiana, New Jersey and Alaska, this year's event included chefs from Alabama, California, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia.
The cook-off was co-hosted by Alaska crab fisherman and Deadliest Catch star Sig Hansen and renowned Louisiana chef John Folse. It was presented by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
"It was fantastic. Every year the dishes get better and better," Ashley Roth, communications manager for the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, told SeafoodSource on Monday. "There was tremendous energy at this year's event."
July 19, 2009
