Trident Seafoods was awarded the Seattle People’s Choice Award for its Trident Naturals Thai Chili Salmon Fillets at the Alaska Symphony of Seafood 16th annual new products contest on Feb. 10.
“We had 13 great entries this year,” said Jim Browning of the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, which organizes and sponsors the event. “And it was very close, but in the end, Trident’s tangy keta salmon was the people’s favorite in Seattle.”
Held at FareStart in downtown Seattle, the contest enables participants to introduce new and innovative value-added seafood products to the market and be judged by chefs and other industry experts.
In addition to the Seattle People’s Choice Award, the panel of judges will honor first, second and third place winners, the overall grand prize winner and the Anchorage People’s Choice Award winner at a ceremony and gala soirée held at the Hotel Captain Cook on Feb. 19 in Anchorage, Alaska.
The first place winners from each category — retail, foodservice and smoked products — as well as both People’s Choice winners will receive free booth space at the International Boston Seafood Show in March, as well as free airfare to and from the event.
This year’s judges included: Michael Cisneros from Centerplate catering at Safeco Field; Larry Williams of Orca Bay Seafoods; Omar Field with Ivar’s; Executive Chef Jordan Mackey with The Edgewater Hotel; food writer Melissa Trainer; Eric Tanaka from Tom Douglas Restaurants; Keith Harris of Whole Foods Markets-Select Fish; and Ron Steckler with Chang International.
Sponsors for this year’s event are: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board, the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, At-sea Processors Association, Trident Seafoods, Marine Stewardship Council, Alaska Air Cargo, Orca Bay Seafoods, Alaskan Brewing Co., American Seafoods Co., SeaFood Business, Pacific Seafood Processors Association, Copper River Seafoods, the Commercial Fishing and Agricultural Bank and Northern Air Cargo.
