2025 COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS

  • Chefs competing must be executive chefs for an acclaimed free-standing restaurant in Mississippi, or Mississippi-based catering group, that proudly serves Mississippi Gulf Seafood on their regular menu.
  • No institutional chefs (i.e. food service distributors, hospitals, culinary school instructors or chefs having 10 or more restaurants) will be allowed to compete.
  • Each chef will be responsible for plating up to four entrees for judges with Mississippi Gulf seafood as the main protein.
  • Each chef is responsible for his or her own travel and ingredients costs.
  • The winning chef will represent Mississippi for the Great American Seafood Cook-Off on the first weekend in August in New Orleans, so chefs ensure this does not conflict with their schedule before participating in the Mississippi Seafood Cook-Off.

CHEF ENTRY FORM

  • April 14, 2025 – entry forms must be received by 11:59 p.m.
  • April 16, 2025 – recipe submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m.
  • April 21, 2025 – all applicants will be notified if they have been selected as a finalist for the Mississippi Seafood Cook-off
  • April 22, 2025 – deadline for finalists to submit chef’s biography, high-resolution photograph and restaurant logo
  • May 1, 2025 – Mississippi Seafood Cook-off at 5 p.m. at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport, Miss.

Application submissions for the 2025 Mississippi Seafood Cook-off have closed.