Lafayette Chef Crowned King Of Seafood
Was there ever any doubt? Really? Do you really think someone other than a Louisiana based chef could ever wear the crown that goes with the title King of American Seafood? Even though in our minds it was a foregone conclusion they had to make it official on Saturday night, and they did.
"They" was the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. The newly crowned king is no stranger to diners in Lafayette. Chef Ryan Trahan of Blue Dog Cafe' was awarded the top honor at Saturday's live cooking event in New Orleans.
Chef Trahan wowed the judges with his cracklin' crusted red snapper with pickled crawfish tails, buttermilk chili consomme, spring vegetables, burnt leek oil and bowfin caviar. Holy Cow!, that takes almost as long to say as it does to eat.
A Deconstructed Clam Bake from Massachusettes based Chef Marc Orfaly claimed the runner-up position. While Chef Marc Quinones of the seafood-rich state New Mexico claimed third in the competition with spiced duck fat fried oysters.