Chef Brody Olive took home the coveted crown as winner of the 8th Annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off, held June 12 at Zeke’s Restaurant in Orange Beach.

Joined by teammate Chef Luis Silvestre, Olive’s unique, winning creation of Gaff-Top Catfish with Flash-Fried Mole Crabs, Gulf Shrimp Horseradish Cream, Pickled Purslane and Smoked Paprika Coral Tuile impressed the panel of judges and secured the competition’s top scores.

Brody Olive’s Gaff-Top Catfish with Flash-Fried Mole Crabs, Gulf Shrimp Horseradish Cream, Pickled Purslane and Smoked Paprika Coral Tuile took the top prize. (contributed)

Olive is executive chef of Voyagers at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach. Dishes were judged on criteria including creativity, composition and harmony of ingredients.

“There’s nothing better than Alabama Gulf seafood and the diversity of our Gulf, and I am proud to showcase this and what makes the area so special,” Olive said. At Voyagers, “we are proud to showcase our fishermen and farmers — whoever is growing and getting recipe ingredients to us — and to tell their stories and their hard work. They make our work easy.”

Chef Brody Olive works on his winning dish at last year’s Alabama Seafood Cook-Off. (contributed)

Chef Brody Olive at the Alabama Seafood Cook-Off. (contributed)

The winning team with the check. (contributed)

The winning dish impressed the judges with its creativity, composition and harmony of ingredients. (contributed)

Chef Luis Silvestre and Executive Chef Brody Olive suited up for battle. (contributed)

Olive will go on to represent Alabama on a national stage at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off later this summer in New Orleans.

Three other finalists from across the state competed in the June 12 event: Chef Sam Adams of (small batch) in Birmingham, the event’s runner-up; Chef Laurence Agnew of Jesse’s Restaurant in Magnolia Springs, and Chef Nicholas Song of The Depot in Auburn.

Judges were Jim Smith, founder and executive chef of The Hummingbird Way in Mobile and chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission; Chris Nelson, president of Bon Secour Fisheries; Susan Benton, founder of gulfcoastrestaurants.com and 30Aeats.com; and Jeffrey Compton, 2022 ASCO champion and partner/executive chef of Armour House in Birmingham. Bravo “Top Chef” competitor Chef Roscoe Hall emceed the event.

For more information about Alabama Gulf Seafood, visit eatalabamaseafood.com.