Reviewed by: Caleb Turrentine
Auburn chefs take top honors at Sweet Grown Alabama Seafood Cook-Off
Reading time: 2 minutes
An Auburn culinary team is headed to the national stage after winning the Sweet Grown Alabama Seafood Cook-Off at The Wharf in Orange Beach.
Chef C.R. “Robbie” Nicolaisen and sous chef Gabe Atkinson, representing Auburn restaurant The Hound, claimed first place in the statewide culinary showdown. The competition required chefs to pair Alabama Gulf seafood with locally grown ingredients sourced from Sweet Grown Alabama members.
Heading to the national stage
By securing the state title, Nicolaisen and Atkinson earned the right to represent Alabama at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on July 25, where they will compete against top chefs from across the country, according to Sweet Grown Alabama.
“It’s an incredible honor to win this competition alongside Gabe and represent Alabama on a national stage. We’re proud to cook with the outstanding seafood harvested from our Gulf waters and the amazing local ingredients grown across this state.”
Chef C.R. “Robbie” Nicolaisen
Celebrating local flavors
The event featured:
- A live culinary competition
- Chef tastings
- An all-you-can-eat shrimp boil for attendees.
Judges evaluated dishes based on creativity, technical skill and how effectively the flavors highlighted Alabama’s agricultural and seafood industries.
