Food Network Star Finalists Including:

• Martie Duncan
• Michele Ragussis
• Nikki Martin
• Emily Ellyn
• Linkie Marais

Regional Chefs Including:

• State of Alabama Executive Chef (Chef Jim Smith)
• True, Montgomery (Chef Wesley True)
• Cotton Row Restaurant (Chef James Boyce)
• The Westin Huntsville (Chef Bill Stellwagen)
  
• Wind Creek Casino & Hotel, Atmore (Chef Stafford Decambra)
• SpringHouse Restaurant, Lake Martin (Chef Rob McDainel)
• Railyard Brewing Co, Montgomery (Chef Leonardo Maurelli)
• The Iberian Pig, Atlanta (Chef Landon Thompson)
• Naman’s Catering, Mobile (Chef Alec Naman)
• Eat!, Orange Beach (Chef Chris Sherrill)
• Epiphany Café, Tuscaloosa (Chef Tres Jackson)

Gulf Coast Teams Including:

• After Ours
• Baumhower’s Restaurant & Compleat Angler Seafood Grille & Bar
• Big Fish Restaurant
• Bubba’s Seafood House
• Category 5 Catering
• DeSoto's Seafood Kitchen
• Four Brothers Catering
• Gulf Island Grill
• Happy Harbor
• Hungry Owl
• Lester's
  
• Live Bait
• LL’s Seafood
• Louisiana Lagniappe
• Nolan’s Restaurant & Lounge
• Old 27 Grill
• Original Oyster House
• Paradise Island Daiquiri
• Rotolo’s Pizza
• Seaside Package
• Shaggy’s Bar & Grill
• Steamer Baked Oyster Bar
• Tacky Jack’s
• Texas 1 Spice Gourmet Seasoning
• The Gulf
• The Hangout
• The Jellyfish
• Union
  
• Voyagers @ Perdido Beach Resort
• West Beach Grille
• Wintzell’s Oyster House
• Wolf Bay Lodge Orange Beach

Judges

• David Holloway, AL.com
• Pat Peterson, WKRG
• Erin Street, Southern Living
• Chris Nelson, Bon Secour Fisheries
• Dr. Bill Walton, Auburn Research Oyster Expert
• Janice Rogers, Fox 6 Birmingham
• Mike Dubberly, Fox 6 Birmingham
• Cody Hicks, Atlanta Eats
• Kevin Anson, Alabama's Marine Resources Chief Biologist
• Ron Kutter, Shrimp Festival Chairman

OFFICIAL RULES

 1.    All contestants are responsible for their own grills, charcoal, cooking utensils, ingredients and presentation dishes for the public, including the delivery dish to the judge. A minimum of 12 dozen oysters per category must be presented. In addition to all cooking utensils, table, table cloth and coolers are needed to participate.

2.    The Hangout will supply all oysters for the competition.

3.    Contestants will be required to shuck their own oysters for the competition. Each team is required to provide their shucking knife and use a shucking glove.

4.    The Hangout will provide all napkins, plates and eating utensils for the public. One 6ft table, a 10x10 tent and a trash receptacle will be furnished for each team

5.    Official start time for the event is 11am, November 3^rd, 2012.

6.    All teams are required to be on site by 9am, teams are required to be set up and “ready to serve” by 10am on November 3^rd.

7.    Participants are required to supply 1 dozen prepared oysters from each category for the judging panel. Each participant will be required to cook a minimum of twelve (12) dozen of each category for public tasting. Depending on the number of participating teams and the amount of people attending, the number of prepared oysters can fluctuate at the discretion of The Hangout.

8.    All contestants are to be in compliance of all health department regulations. The Hangout will provide ice. Teams must provide the correct storage and storage containers for the oysters including preparatory items.

9.    Each team will display “a consumption of raw seafood” notice at their table. These will be supplied by The Hangout

10.  Official judging will be the sole responsibility of the judging panel. All judging is final. Judging will be conducted by a blind taste test for each category.

11.  There will be no outside beverages brought into the Hangout. The Hangout will provide each team a $50 gift card. Any team serving alcohol to guests will be removed from the event with out refund.

12.  In the event of inclement weather, the oyster cook off will be cancelled. If cancellation occurs then all entry fees will be refunded to the teams.

13.  Teams are encouraged to decorate their tents.

JUDGING WILL BE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING POINT SYSTEM

1. Presentation...............................15 possible points
2. Flavor........................................50 possible points
3. Creativity....................................35 possible points

OYSTER CATEGORIES TO BE JUDGED

1. Oyster Rockefeller - Each team will prepare their version of the classic Oyster Rockefeller.
2. Cajun Oyster - Teams are required to use any variation of their take of Cajun Flavor from the Gulf Coast, meat cheeses and spices are encouraged.
3. Create your own RAW oyster - Just like it says, make this oyster yours and take home bragging rights for the best oyster in this Oyster Challenge, as long as it’s RAW

The team with the most points per each category will be declared the category winner. The team with the most points overall from all three categories will be declared the Champion.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Winner will be decided by the general public. The public can purchase tickets and sample each team’s oysters. The team which collects the most tickets, in the allotted time will be the People’s Choice Champion.

**It is at the organizer’s discretion if more oysters will be required for the public’s sampling. Rules are subject to change at any time.

Entry Fee

Participants in the 2012 Oyster Cook-Off who register prior to or on September 28, 2012 will have an entry fee of $250. After September 28, the entry fee will be $300. Deadline to register and pay entry fee in full is October 19^th, 2012. Entry fee will cover all the supplies as described above. Further, each team will receive four Oyster Cook-Off event t-shirts and the opportunity to purchase additional t-shirts at a discounted rate. Teams should submit a logo (if applicable) for inclusion in promotions and event materials.