

When you think of colleges in Alabama, the first thing that comes to mind might have something to do with football, elephants and tigers—but something else is cooking.
Whether you’re eating the fresh catch at a beachfront restaurant or choosing seafood at a market hours from the beach, odds are high you’re going to see shrimp on the menu. And it’s not just in Alabama—throughout the country, shrimp is the most popular seafood to order and its popularity is growing every year.
Kyle Ogden, the chef behind this year’s winning Alabama Seafood Cook-Off (ASCO) dish, fell in love with cooking while taking home economics classes in high school. However, turning his passion for cooking into a career wasn’t always part of his plan.
Competing chefs will have the opportunity to meet and learn from some of Alabama’s leading professionals in the culinary industry during multi-day events amidst one of Alabama’s best seafood backdrops — the Gulf.
Chargrill them. Steam them. Fry them. Serve them raw. No matter how you prefer them, there’s something special about feasting on fresh, Alabama oysters.
Born and raised in Florida, Jeffrey has been fully immersed in the food scene since he was a child. His main passion is bridging the gap between local farmers and the community.
On the afternoon of Monday, May 16, at the beautiful Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, four chefs began prepping their recipe items in anticipation of the 7th Annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off.
Chef Jim Smith is Executive Chef and Owner of The Hummingbird Way Oyster Bar in Mobile, Ala. Opened January 7, 2020, The Hummingbird Way is committed to serving the best local and sustainably sourced foods available.
Our story is one shared by most restaurant owners over the course of the last two years, and despite steps forward, pandemic effects are still being felt in real ways.