Annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off Features Coast-AL’s Own Chef Emilio Urban

Alabama Gulf Seafood has chosen Emilio Urban, chef from Coast-AL Orange Beach, to represent them in the 9th Annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off, as announced by the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission.

Chef Emilio is originally from Fairhope, AL, and now calls Gulf Shores, AL home.  He carries with him 17 years of culinary industry experience and Coast-AL Orange Beach is more than grateful to have him as a member of the incredibly talented culinary team!

Chefs from all over Alabama were invited to submit recipes highlighting Alabama Gulf Seafood. These recipes were anonymized and reviewed by an expert panel of judges who selected the participants. Here are the chefs and their chosen recipes:

• Chef Laurence Agnew: "King Billy Whelkomes You" - Charcoal-grilled Alabama croaker "On the half shell," Gulf whelk & Admiral Oyster stew with blue crab fat croutons, fennel, celery & purple deadnettle Italian salsa verde.
• Chef Robbie Nicolaisen: Charcoal-grilled triggerfish, blue crab & Conecuh sausage spoon-bread, dressed sea beans, burnt lemon & "she-crab" beurre blanc.
• Chef Kyle Ogden: "Spring Tide" - Pompano filet with crab and shrimp mousse, focaccia stuffing, arugula pesto, gai lan agrodolce, Fresno chili emulsion, and more.
• Chef Emilio Urban: "Fruits of the Gulf" - Spiced Gulf shrimp, pickled cucumbers, hibiscus fumet foam, roasted yellow pepper beurre blanc, garnished with black bean crunch and Spanish mackerel floss, mackerel chicharron.
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The events kick off on Sunday with a Gulf seafood-themed welcome dinner prepared by Executive Chef Brody Olive, a previous winner of both the statewide and national competitions.

On Monday, May 6, the chefs will visit the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center, a facility dedicated to the production, restocking, and research of select Gulf species.

The cook-off will take place at The Wharf's Marlin Circle starting at 6 p.m. on Monday. Each chef and their team will have one hour to prepare their dishes and present them to a panel of industry judges:

• Chef Jim Smith: Owner and executive chef at Mobile's The Hummingbird Way, board chairman of the ASMC, and 2011 winner of the ASCO and national seafood cook-off.
• Chef Brody Olive: Executive chef at Voyagers and 2023 winner of ASCO and the national cook-off.
• Arwen Rice: Executive chef at Red or White in Mobile.
• Bob Carlton: Veteran food writer at AL.com.
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The relocation to The Wharf this year was made in hopes of attracting more spectators. This year’s competition will be held in Marlin Circle at The Wharf, on May 6, at 6 p.m. The Alabama Seafood Cook-Off is open to the public and free to attend with live music and a cash bar available.  For more information visit www.atalabamaseafood.com.