CoastAL Orange Beach is excited to announce its first-ever Gumbo Fest 2024 Cook-Off Challenge. The event is set to take place on November 2nd, 2024 from 11am to 2pm at CoastAL Orange Beach. This fun-filled event will bring together gumbo enthusiasts, culinary teams, and food lovers for a day of friendly competition, delicious coastal cuisine and live music. Tickets are priced at $25 per person. Admission includes 8 tasting tickets and 1 People’s Choice vote ticket. A portion of the entry fee ($5) will be donated to fund a scholarship for a local student pursuing a career in hospitality.
Attendees are also encouraged to make an additional $10 donation or bring non-perishable food items to receive 5 extra tasting tickets and 1 additional People’s Choice vote ticket. Team Entry: Calling all chefs, cooks, and gumbo aficionados! Gather your team of three and enter the competition for a chance to showcase your gumbo-making skills. The registration fee is $150 per team. Each team entry includes 3 Gumbo Fest T-shirts, a $100 Rouses gift card, and a CoastAL gift bag. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.
Prizes & Awards: The CoastAL Gumbo Fest 2024 Cook-Off Challenge will feature an exciting prize payout for the top teams:
● 1st Place: $1,000 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy
● 2nd Place: $500 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy
● 3rd Place: $250 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy
● People’s Choice: $500 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy + Local Bragging Rights
People’s Choice Award: Attendees will play a key role in selecting the People’s Choice winner. Each paid admission includes 1 People’s Choice vote ticket, with the opportunity to earn additional vote tickets through donations. The team with the highest number of votes will walk away with a $500 check, a coveted Gumbo Paddle Trophy, and the title of People’s Choice Champion. Join us at CoastAL Orange Beach on November 2nd for a day of mouthwatering gumbo, coastal vibes, and community spirit. Whether you’re competing or just coming to enjoy the flavors, this is an event you won’t want to miss! For more information, registration, or to purchase tickets, visit www.gumbofest.com
About CoastAL Orange Beach: CoastAL Orange Beach offers great food, live music and the best views of the Gulf of Mexico! Recently opened, Coast-AL Orange Beach is the only beachfront restaurant in Orange Beach, Alabama. Whether dining in our family friendly restaurant, relaxing with a signature cocktail from CoastAL Beach Bar, or getting in some retail therapy at CoastAL Clothing Company, we can’t wait for you to experience the best sunsets and the most incredible views in the heart of Orange Beach. For more information, visit www.coastalorangebeach.com.
CoastAL Gumbo Fest 2024 Cook-Off Challenge Rules & Regulations Event: November 2nd, 2024 at CoastAL Orange Beach ADMISSION: $25 per person for attendees.
This will include 8 tasting tickets, and one People Choice vote ticket. $5 of entree fee will go to donation towards a Scholarship for a local student looking to pursue a hospitality career.
TEAM ENTRY: The team registration fee is $150 per team (3 people team) and includes 3 Gumbo Fest T-shirts, $100 Rouses gift card, and CoastAL gift bag.
PRIZE PAYOUTS:
● 1st Place: $1,000 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy
● 2nd Place: $500 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy
● 3rd Place: $250 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy
● People’s Choice: $500 + Gumbo Paddle Trophy + Bragging Rights
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: All attendees will receive 8 sampling tickets with their paid admission. Each paid admission will also include 1 People's Choice ticket to be used to vote on a favorite gumbo sample. If attendees make a $10 donation or donation of nonperishable food items, they receive 5 additional tasting tickets, and one additional People Choice vote ticket. People’s Choice will be awarded to the team receiving the highest number of votes (tickets) from all attendees who participate. Winner to receive $500 check, gumbo paddle trophy and local bragging rights.
COMPETITION RULES:
● Teams are required to come with or ready to prepare at least 5 gallons of their own secret recipe gumbo. Teams can prepare as much as they want prior to the event. All proper food handling/food procedures, as defined by the State of Alabama, must be followed.
● Teams can begin loading in/cooking starting at 8am. Awards will be announced at 2:30pm.
● Competitors are responsible for all food products used in the event for their sampling entries. Competitors will also be responsible for all of their competition tools including cooking equipment
● Cooking equipment is limited to propane source equipment. No electricity will be provided, no generators allowed.
● No ware washing will be available onsite.
● No outside alcoholic beverages consumption will be allowed.
● Host will provide: 10x10 Tent, 6 foot table, 3 folding chairs, sampling bowls & spoons.
● Teams can decorate their booths however they would like - the ultimate goal is to have fun!
HOW WILL YOUR GUMBO BE EVALUATED?
Overall, EAT category scores are weighted as follows:
Execution - 35% · Taste - 50% · Appearance - 15%
Judges will be instructed to judge each gumbo entry on Execution, Appearance and Taste, which is the foundation for the EAT™ method of judging. The numbering will rank from 1 to 10 (with 1 being worst and 10 being best) in each of the three judging categories. Each entry will be judged on its own individual merits as opposed to comparatively against the other entries.
WHAT IS EXECUTION:
Execution will be evaluated by overall and specific judge’s interpretations of a gumbo’s structure, edibility, potential featured ingredients, design and preparation. (A couple of examples of why a judge might score poorly for execution includes: a soggy bun on a burger, or undercooked, inedible meat, an ingredient left off the dish, etc.). It will be up to the judges to determine the success of the competitor at accomplishing a great gumbo. WHAT IS APPEARANCE:
While judging the gumbo, Judges will be instructed to base their assessment on the appearance of the product, but to also consider overall presentation of its components. WHAT IS TASTE: During judging each criterion will be judged on a scale of 1 (inedible) to 10 (perfect), with 5 being a midpoint (average) score. Additional Taste considerations include the balance of flavors and ingredients used by the cook