Roux masters prepare to dominate in cook-off
Giving to a good cause can be delicious!
The Fifth Annual Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators Gumbo Cook-off, benefiting Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) will take place on March 11 at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport. The gates open at noon and close at 5 p.m., while the awards will be given at 4 p.m.
Amie Baham, development director for the past five years at Volunteers for Youth Justice, is excitedly looking forward to the big event. “If you like gumbo, this is the place to be!” Baham said. “I love to sample the huge variety of great gumbos. Each year we have a few that are really different. Our new one this year is rabbit.”
The Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators completely benefits Volunteers for Youth Justice. “People should get involved, because in addition to supporting a great organization, attendees will be able to sample over 50 different gumbos! Although personally, I wouldn’t suggest trying all of them!” Baham laughed.
The Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators is a family-friendly event with entertainment, live music and over 30 creative craft and delicious food vendors. There will also be a fun children’s area, complete with bounce houses provided by Bayou Bounce.
Best of all, admission to the Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators Gumbo Cook-Off is free. Gumbo samples are only $2 each. All proceeds of the event support the work of Volunteers for Youth Justice, a volunteer-based, community supported non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a community caring for children, youth and families in crisis. Established in 1981 by members of First Presbyterian Church of Shreveport, VYJ carries the mission of providing intervention and support services to children in the local community.
“VYJ has been leading the way in providing dynamic, life-changing programs for abused, neglected and at-risk children in Northwest Louisiana for over 30 years,” Baham said.
VYJ currently administers three divisions of programs. The CASA Program relies on community volunteers to provide advocacy for child victims of abuse or neglect and who are involved in the juvenile court system through no fault of their own. The Youth Programs consist of classes that provide developmentally appropriate, consequential and educational diversion services for first -time juvenile offenders or youth that are at-risk for involvement in the Juvenile Justice System. The Court Programs consist of Truancy, FINS (Families in Need of services) and TASC (Truancy Assistance Service Center).
Glenda Fuller will be a returning contender in this year’s Battle, competing on team Cooking Cousins alongside J.R. Fuller, Chris Wren and Tadd Goodman.
“I’m cooking with my son’s friends, helping them learn to cook cajun style,” Fuller said. “I want to make sure when I’m old and in the nursing home, they know how to bring me a good gumbo!” Fuller’s team will be cooking two different gumbos – a seafood and a chicken-ducksausage. “We love cooking,” Fuller said.
“We’re not the best, but we put a lot of love in each pot and enjoy the crowds. We see a lot of the same people each year and it makes you feel good when they tell you they were looking for you. Raising money for these kids is what it is all about!” Fuller’s team will be giving out little pieces of garlic buttered French bread with popping skins and also selling Boudin Balls to raise extra money for the benefit.
Locals should come out for a fun time, great cuisine and the joy of supporting a good cause and helping their community.
If last year is any indication, this year’s cuisine war should also be a big success. The 2016 Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators Gumbo Cook-Off fund-raiser attracted over 4,000 attendees who sampled 55 entries. Those entries were prepared by 45 different teams which were composed of local and regional competitors – a motley crew of amateur cooks, fun-loving tailgaters, caterers and professional chefs.
A blind judging process involves more than 30 judges every year who select the top three winning teams for each of the seafood and non-seafood categories. Attendees get to vote for the People’s Choice winner.
2016 winners included Coffin Custom Pits and Burners, Gumbreaux’s, Oh-Yay Que and Roux, Geaux Roux Yourself, Cooking Cousins and Team Thrifty Liquor. The 2016 People’s Choice winner was Gumbooyah, while the best decorated booth award went to Red White & Blue Bayou. Wineaux’s walked away with the award for Most Team Spirit.
– Betsy St. Armant
MORE INFORMATION:
For more information on the benefit, visit www. gumbogladiators.com. For more information on Volunteers For Youth Justice, visit www.vyjla.org.
