Shreveport chef selected to compete at Louisiana Seafood Cook-off

The Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board announced chefs competing in the 16th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off (LASCO), and one Shreveport chef made the cut.

For the first time, the competition will be in Lake Charles on Tuesday, June 27. The selected 12 chefs from across the state will battle it out for the title of King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood.

"Every year it gets tougher to choose just 12 chefs from all the outstanding applications we receive. That shows the incredible level of culinary talent we have in Louisiana," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "Our food connects us to our heritage, and Louisiana seafood is a huge part of that connection. The majority of the chefs competing through the years learned to cook in their parent's kitchens. It's no different with this year's chefs."

The chefs competing in the 2023 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off Are:

• Ashley Allen, Executive Chef, Coconuts Bar and Grill - Vidalia

• Stephen Coblentz, Executive Chef, Charthouse - Lake Charles

• Ben Fidelak, Executive Chef / Owner, Mariner's Restaurant - Natchitoches

• Dustin Frederick, Chef, Restaurant Calla - Lake Charles

• Greg Gizzaffi, Executive Chef, Landry's Seafood House - Lake Charles

• Owen Hohl, Chef, Hot Tails - New Roads & Prairieville

• Blake Jackson, Executive Chef, Drake Foods LLC, Looosiana Seafood Market, Drake Catering, Whisk Dessert Bar - Shreveport

• Brett Monteleone, The Overpass Merchant - Baton Rouge

• Chris Motto, Executive Chef, Jubans - Baton Rouge

• Chad Phares, Executive Chef, Hurricane Hole - Grand Isle

• Amy Sins, Chef, Langlois - New Orleans

• Christopher Vazquez, Executive Chef, Redfish Grill - New Orleans

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To be eligible to compete, a chef must be the executive chef of a free-standing Louisiana restaurant belonging to the Louisiana Restaurant Association.

In addition to earning the King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood title, the winner will represent the state at a variety of events, including the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, hosted by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board.

"I'm not only looking forward to seeing the amazing culinary creations our chefs serve the judges, but I'm excited to hold this competition in Lake Charles for the first time, the home of our reigning Queen of Louisiana Seafood Chef Amanda Cusey," Nungesser said.

To learn more about this event including how to purchase tickets, visit the Golden Nugget Lake Charles website.

Meredith G. White is the arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and email her at mgwhite@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Check out the chefs competing at the 2023 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off