World Food Championships return to the Alabama Beaches!

by Jay Ducote

Once again this year some of the greatest chefs and food sport contestants from around the country and even from around the world will be descending on Orange Beach, AL for the World Food Championships. Now in it's sixth year, and second in Alabama, the WFC has positioned itself as a proving ground for cooks and culinary personalities. This year's event takes place from November 8th to 12th.

Suzanne Clark, Cassandra King and Jay Ducote host the TV show for the 2016 World Food Championships

With 500+ teams registered for 2017, The World Food Championships is the largest culinary competition on the planet. The event gives home cooks, pro chefs and professional cook teams from all walks of life a chance to be seen on TV and win a share of a the largest prize purse in the Food Sport industry.

From burgers and BBQ, to sandwiches and bacon, there is a $10,000 winner in each of ten categories, all which culminate in a grand finale of epic food proportions at the Final Table.

Check out this TV show from last year's WFC featuring yours truly as one of the three hosts for the competition!

I'll be back again this year to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of victory. I know there are other Louisiana chefs who have punched their tickets on the path to become World Champions as well. It's guaranteed to be a great time, so book your hotel room in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach now so you can enjoy the action!

Cassandra King, Jay Ducote and Suzanne Clark at WFC 2016

Adam Feinberg, Jay Ducote and Vic Vegas at WFC 2016

Jay Ducote hosts the first round of the BBQ Competition at the 2016 World Food Championship

Jay Ducote and WFC CEO Mike McCloud cheers with a pair of tomahawk pork chops

The hosts on stage with Mike to discuss the World Food Championships

Luke Darnell and Jay Ducote celebrate Luke's $10,000 prize check an title of World Barbecue Champion!

Mike McCloud, Moe Cason, Brad Orrison and Jay Ducote enjoy the Bourb'N'Que at WFC 2016

The Big Tyme Productions crew poses with the hosts of the WFC 2016 TV Show

Dock & Dine: Bite and Booze does Orange Beach Brunch at Fisher's Dockside

Fisher's Upstairs

Fisher's Upstairs

There are plenty of places to get great Gulf seafood in the resort destination of Gulf Shore and Orange Beach, but Fisher's is stepping things up a notch. Their downstairs oyster bar is great for families, large groups, and anyone looking to have a few good bites and a good time. Fisher's Upstairs is a completely different feel. It's fine dining, but Chef Bill Briand says you should feel just as comfortable in shorts and flip flops as you feel in a button up and tie. The attention to detail in the atmosphere is absolutely impeccable and I can't wait to experience a dinner upstairs. It will happen for sure, but for now I'll settle for brunch at the dock. I know, life is hard.

A couple of $3 mimosas, a bushwhacker, and some delectable dishes from Chef Bill and I was set for the trip back home on a Sunday afternoon. We started out with a tour of the upstairs restaurant and then he treated us to some excellent Gulf smoked tuna dip and deliciously fried crab claws.

The fried crab claws and smoked tuna dip at Fisher's Brunch

Creamy, crispy, and fresh all at the same time... that's what to love about a friend oyster. Gulf oysters are one of my favorite things to eat. While I typically favor them raw, when they are masterfully fried it is hard to go wrong. The Fried Oysters Benedict featured some of the succulent fried oysters with wilted spinach, poached eggs, and hollandaise. This sort of brunch dish can set any Sunday morning right!

Fried Gulf Oysters Benedict

Grits and grillades are a hearty Southern brunch favorite. The pan fried veal covered in a thick gravy over creamy grits is an automatic score in my book any day. The gravy really may have been the star of this dish. As great as the grits and veal were, the rustic brown goodness tied it all together.

Grits and Grillades

Fisher's smoked brisket hash brings another comfort dish to the table which can do no wrong. Served in a cast-iron skillet, the brisket is smoked in house then cooked down with some peppers, onions, and home potatoes before getting topped off with sunny side up eggs. This dish is like a hug for your hungover soul.

Smoked Brisket Hash

Fisher's makes me happy to eat bread pudding again. Okay, I'm usually pretty happy to eat bread pudding. But in Louisiana you can barely go out to eat without seeing it on a dessert menu. While bread pudding typically boasts delicious sweetness, it rarely presents something new and refreshing. But not here. Fisher's bread pudding is light and creamy. The toasted coconut brightens the entire dish. You will definitely want to save room for this on your trip!

Toasted Coconut Bread Pudding

Lucy B Goode: A Farm-to-Table Gem in Gulf Shores

The list of local farms they source their ingredients from.

Let me start by saying, "Wow." We rolled up to Lucy B Goode, which rests by the harbor, surrounded by the spectacle that is LuLu's, to an extremely embarrassing though fun-spirited surprise. Personalized menus gave Blair and Aimee some gut-bursting laughter while our rock star waiter articulated the mission of this farm to table restaurant. I guess sometimes when a restaurant knows who they are inviting over for a media dinner, they feel like going the extra mile. From the moment we walked in the door until we were almost the last people to leave, Lucy B Goode provided a dining (complete with custom cocktails) experience I would love to have again.










Chef Randall Baldwin welcomed us by sending out an off menu starter. Aimee doesn't go for tuna (still don't understand why), so that meant more for Blair and myself! The juicy grapefruit slices and sesame chili oil took the fresh tuna to an entirely different level. Seasoned with superb salt and pepper, this dish delivered a light and refreshing combination of bold and natural flavors.

Fresh Gulf Tuna, Grapefruit Slices, and Celery Leaves in a Sesame Chili Oil

Next came a dynamite pimento cheese dish which will make you wonder how anybody could possibly live outside the south. Pimento cheese is a simple concept, but when done right it can be irresistible. And as much as I don't like pickles, these house-pickled local cucumbers were pretty delicious as well. Merging the flavors together, the subtle savoriness of the pimento cheese combines with the sweet and slightly spicy pickles to create an appetizer that could be served as a game-day snack or on the finest of dining menus.

Pa-menna Cheese: House Made Pimento Cheese served with Rosemary Flatbread, Roasted Pecans, and LuLu's Sweet and Sassy Icebox Pickles

As we moved on to entrees we felt it necessary to try different dishes so that we could also sample them. While known for their fresh fish, I couldn't help but notice the braised ribs on the menu. I thought it would be an interesting twist on the Gulf Seafood weekend. The ribs are incredibly tender while boasting an Asian barbecue flare. The jicama slaw on top adds a pleasant crunch and the cheese grits on the bottom catch all of the juicy goodness coming off of the ribs... a little bonus at the bottom of the bowl!

Braised Sticky Sweet Pork Ribs topped with Homemade Jicama Slaw served over Cheese Grits

The two fish dishes we tried were the fresh catches of the day prepared two different ways. Both of the preparation options were quite rustic in a way that let the fresh Gulf fish be the star. We enjoyed red snapper with roasted potatoes and green beans as well as wahoo with a lovely summer succotash. Both dishes were absolutely on-point with their execution of the fish and pairing of the hearty sides.

Fresh Gulf Red Snapper served with Red Potatoes, Sautéed Green Beans, Grilled Lemon, and Brown Butter Vinaigrette

Fresh Gulf Wahoo served over a Summer Succotash with Sweet Corn, Field Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Bacon Lardons, and Fresh Herbs

No meal is complete without curing the sweet tooth at the end. We tried a couple devilishly delicious desserts, but I almost have to say the star of the sweets were the local blueberries. They really lightened up decadent chocolate and cream flavors we had in store. One of the local blueberry farmers actually had a table behind us! Lucy B Goode presents a dining option that is unique to Gulf Shores though it is bringing dining back to the basics at the same time. I might have a hard time going back to the beach without stopping in to dine there again.

House Made Fudgesicle dunked in Mascarpone Cream topped with local Berries

Tres Leches Cake topped with local Berries

Mojitos, Burgers, and Ceviche...Oh My: Bite and Booze Goes to Work at Orange Beach's The Gulf

The Gulf at Orange Beach

Ordering up some burgers for the ladies!

After a long, hot day aboard the Wild Hearts Dolphin Cruise, team Bite and Booze hopped over to The Gulf. Made out of shipping containers with a gorgeous outdoor seating area, The Gulf is serving up juicy burgers, fresh fish dishes, and other delectable eats. The beach-side restaurant has a nice lawn as well as some lounge furniture on the sand. It's absolutely a funky spot and I would recommend it to anyone.

We had the pleasure of trying their Gulf Red Snapper Ceviche. Citrus juices combined with a bright pico and super fresh Red Snapper on a crisp tortilla chip will set you right after a decent trip on the water... and don't forget the mojito!

Red Snapper Ceviche

The Gulf's burgers presented a simple but tantalizing flurry of flavor. A buttery, toasted brioche bun cradled the juicy patty that bathed in aioli and melted pepper jack cheese. 

The Gulf's Signature Burger

The Gulf provides a really chill spot right on the water in Orange Beach. It's welcoming atmostphere provides a great place to relax and watch all of the boats go by. They have a few special night life activities,  but it's mostly a great lunch spot the whole family can enjoy. Especially with the mojitos. Mojitos for everyone.

Beach-side Dining at The Gulf

LA, meet L.A.: Getting Acquainted with Lower Alabama

I recently had the opportunity to take Team Bite and Booze on a press trip down to Gulf Shores Orange Beach for a little local wining, dining, and R&R. We had the chance to soak up some rays, but the real treat was all of the fresh gulf seafood we were invited to feast on everyday! Here's a look at a few places that were worthy of a pulling up a chair and chowing down:

We arrived at The Wharf ready to get tasting and luckily for us there was a nice little daiquiri shop right next to the parking garage! After we got settled in we walked to one of the restaurants downstairs from our condo: Villaggio Grille. Definitely the nicest restaurant at The Wharf, Villaggio has modern American cuisine with a slight Italian and Mediterranean influence. It's not a place to get spaghetti and meatballs, but they have some great Italian inspired seafood dishes.

Prince Edward Island Mussels: Roasted Tomatoes, White Wine, Lemon, Garlic, & Shallot

The next day we took a trek to The Beach Club to meet with their property managers over lunch at the Village Hideaway. They offered some awesome insight to the cool things going on in the Gulf Shores Orange Beach area and the really great beers from the nearby town of Fairhope. We had a couple of their amber ales while we toyed around with the golf simulator (Aimee and I schooled Blair) then sat down to a pretty tasty rack of ribs, fresh mahi tacos, and coconut shrimp. After lunch we got the chance to relax on the beach and catch some waves before heading back to The Wharf for a Gulf Coast/Alabama Seafood Twitter party and dinner.

Seafood Tacos: Fresh Gulf Mahi, Cilantro Slaw, Sliced Avocado, Key Lime Cream Sauce

Perhaps one of the most fun days we had during our stay in Gulf Shores Orange Beach started out with breakfast at Brick and Spoon. They had a build your own Bloody Mary menu, some massive pancakes, and some killer breakfast tacos. The unique breakfast tacos featured fried wonton wrappers as the shell. Brick and Spoon proved to be a great place to grab breakfast on your way to a sweet dolphin cruise!

Breakfast Tacos: Fried Wonton Shell, Chorizo Scrambled Eggs, Lettuce, Sour Cream, and Mango Salsa with a side of Cheese Grits

If you're going to take a sailing adventure while on the Alabama Gulf Coast, I'd gladly suggest the Wild Hearts Dolphin Cruise. Wild Hearts operates a nice catamaran sailboat that provides a great beer drinking platform in the bay and the gulf. They have fun stuff for kids to play with, water and snacks on board, and a great crew. It was a really nice, relaxing day on the water while soaking up some vitamin D.

View from the Wild Hearts Sailboat at Perdido Bay

We did some more dining in Gulf Shore and Orange Beach, but those places were so good that we wanted to give them their own blog posts. So coming up soon on Bite and Booze will be posts about The Gulf, Lucy B. Goode, and brunch at Fisher's!