Brody Olive, chef at Voyagers at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, won the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans.
Olive and assistant chef Luis Silvestrie competed against 11 other chefs. It’s the first time an Alabama chef has won the competition since 2011.
The winning dish was “Fishing on the Rocks, The Jetties at Perdido Pass,” which consisted of gaff-top catfish, flash-fried mole crabs and more.
Gaff-top catfish is a saltwater fish, and mole crabs, also known as sand fleas, are rarely eaten.
“Having the national seafood title return to Alabama is something we are immensely proud of, and we are thrilled for Chef Olive and his team for their innovative approach to this dish,” said Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Chris Blankenship. “The fact that he integrated what are otherwise underrepresented Gulf species is even more impressive. We hope this win encourages others to think differently about what is not only consumable — but also enjoyable — moving forward.”
