The AZUR team under the leadership of Executive chef Jeremy Ashby just returned from the 7th Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans, LA. Even though we didn't bring home the seafood crown for Kentucky, we were treated like royalty. The night before the event, the culinary teams were loaded on buses and police escorted to several New Orleans fine dining restaurants including Commander's Palace, Cafe Palace and Ralph's on the Park. Teams represented states from Alaska to Maine and Illinois to Florida. Chef Jeremy Ashby represented Kentucky well as an ambassador to the Kentucky sustainability movement (aquaculture and agriculture). As a result of the competition, AZUR was able to discuss the Kentucky Proud program and invite several celebrity chefs and food magazine editors to visit Kentucky. Though we did not win the event, AZUR and Chef Ashby did win attention for the Kentucky culinary movement and Kentucky Proud products.
Note: The crown went to Chef Dean James Max of Florida who is a great chef and an ambassador to Florida's sustainable seafood as well.
