Hangout Oyster Cook-Off & Craft Beer Weekend: Nov. 4-5

Top chefs, Bowie tribute, Chase Bryant will draw crowd to Public Beach

Local restaurants usually judged best

Jellyfish, ‘Bama Yacht Club, Pensacola Beach Hilton the last 3 winners

Acclaimed celebrities and James Beard Award winning chefs will try to topple the Gulf Coast’s own culinary artists during the Nov. 4-5 Oyster Cook-Off & Craft Beer Weekend at the Hangout at Gulf Shores Public Beach.
Chefs will compete for cash and prizes while serving up Rockefeller, Gulf Coast Cajun and Raw Oysters for everyone to taste.
In addition, discover a multitude of curated oyster varieties at the North American Raw Oyster Bar.
For foodies who want more than oysters, many chefs will be showcasing their restaurant’s signature side dish.
And you can wash the mollusks down with a selection of craft cocktails, bloody marys, champagne and craft beer.
Numerous James Beard Award winners and nominees will be on-hand, including chefs Mike Lata, Jason Stanhope, Elliott Moss, David Bancroft, Jesse Houston, Bill Smith, Greg Baker, and Josh Quick. The Chef Demo stage is hosted by Alabama’s very own Food Network Star, Martie Duncan. Stars aside, it is certainly worth noting that the competition has always been dominated by local restaurants. The Pensacola Beach Hilton, and Perdido Key bistros The Jellyfish and The Flora-Bama Yacht Club claimed the last three respective titles.
In addition, the defending rockefeller champ is The Beach House Kitchen from Gulf Shores, and Wolf Bay Lodge (Orange Beach & Foley) won 2015 awards for People’s Choice and Best Booth.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit HangoutCookoff.com.

Featured Restaurants 

Saltine Oyster Bar (Jackson, MS) • Buxton Hall BBQ (Asheville, NC) • Odette (Florence, AL) •  The Refinery (Tampa, FL)•  Six Shooter Land and Timber (Jackson, MS) •  Ocean (Birmingham, AL)  • Beach House Kitchen (Gulf Shores) •  Wolf Bay Lodge (Orange Beach) • L.A. Spice House (Satsuma, AL)  • Hal & Mal’s (Jackson, AL) • The Coast Restaurant (Gulf Shores) • Magnolia House (Biloxi, MS) • Parlor Market (Jackson, MS) • Roselie Dining & Seafood Bar (Inlet Beach, FL) • Serpas True Food (Atlanta, GA) • Bistro V (Birmingham, AL) • Hammocks Trading Company (Atlanta, GA) • Tailgater Monthly (Frisco, TX) • Rotolo’s Pizzeria (Orange Beach) • Union (Mobile, AL) • Mikee’s Seafood (Gulf Shores) • Saltwater Grill (Point Clear, AL) • Smoke Ring BBQ (Atlanta, GA) • Seaworthy (New Orleans, LA) • Fiddlefish (Orange Beach) Voyagers – Perdido Beach Resort (Orange Beach) • Restaurant Tyler (Starkville, MS) • Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar (Atlanta, GA) • Gilbey’s Seafood & Steak (Orange Beach) • The Hangout (Gulf Shores) • The Gulf (Orange Beach) • The Gulf (Okaloosa Island, FL)

 

Saturday Music Schedule

11:30 a.m. – Shelby Brown 1:00 p.m. – Jamell Richardswon 3:00 p.m. – Chase Bryant

Saturday Courtyard Events

2:15 p.m. – Shucking Contest Finals 4:00 p.m. – Bloody Mary Invitational

 

Saturday Chef Demonstrations

11 a.m. – Annie Pettry, Louisville 11:45 a.m. – David Bancroft, Auburn 12:30 p.m. – Irv Miller, Pensacola 1:15 p.m. – Jim Smith, Montgomery 2:00 p.m. – Jason Rogers, Colorado 2:30 p.m. – Cooking With Beer 3:00 p.m. – Cookin’ W. Duck Dynasty (Al & Lisa Robertson) 3:45 p.m. – Mike Lata, Charleston 3:45 p.m. – Jason Stanhope, Charleston 4:20 p.m. – Bill Smith Pictured: Cookbook author & Chef, Irv Miller of Jackson’s Restaurant in Pensacola.

Workshop and Food Demonstration Chefs

Martie Duncan (Food Network)
Mike Lata (James Beard Award Winner; Iron Chef competitor)
Jason Stanhope (2015 James Beard Award Winner, Best Chef Southeast)
David Bancroft (2016 James Beard Award Semi-finalist, Best Chef South)
Bill Smith (3-time James Beard Award Winner, America’s Classic Restaurant)
Annie Pettry (2015 Food & Wine “The People’s Best New Chef” Nominee)
Irv Miller (James Beard House-featured chef and author; Pensacola

2015 Winners

Overall: Hilton Pensacola Beach
Raw: Union/Bicycle
Rockefeller: Beach House Kitchen
Cajun: Wolf Bay Lodge
Chef’s Choice: Hal & Mal’s
People’s Choice: Wolf Bay Lodge
Best Booth: Wolf Bay Lodge

2014 Winners

Overall: The Jellyfish
Raw: The Jellyfish
Rockefeller: LL’s Seafood
Cajun: Magnolia House
Top Oyster Shucker: Nathan Burleson
People’s Choice: Signa’s Grill
Best Booth: Flora-Bama Yacht Club

 

Gulf To Table Dinner

The festival also includes a Nov. 4 Gulf to Table Dinner beginning at 7 p.m. at The Gulf in Orange Beach. Tickets are $100 for a locally inspired menu of Gulf Coast seafood and other favorites and wine pairings.

Fest shells will create Al. reefs

Oyster shells from this year’s Cook-Off will again be collected to create new reefs in Alabama waters to foster future oyster growth. Last year, an estimated 5,000 pounds of oyster shells were collected. Keep an eye out for Crush It Crusade recycling tents throughout the event site to toss your oyster shells and other recyclable products. Info: candaid.org.

Did you know that Oysters….

• Improve water quality. They can filter between 2 and 5 gallons of water per hour.
• Provide habitat. Reefs provide habitat for fish, shrimp, crabs, birds and other animals.
• Limit erosion. Oyster reefs are natural breakwaters that protect shorelines.