Move Over, Chili – A New GUMBO-Cooking Contest is Coming to Shreveport!

Who's got the best gumbo in north Louisiana?  We get a chance to find out -- at the newest culinary competition to hit Shreveport-Bossier...Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators.  Seafood and non-seafood gumbo gurus get to go head-to-head to see who's creation is the best Saturday, March 9th, in downtown Shreveport's Festival Plaza.

Amie Roberts with Volunteers for Youth Justice tells KEEL News she's looking for sponsors, teams, vendors -- and a few more judges for the contest.  "We've got Randall Reeder, a lot of people know him,"  Roberts says.  "We're also going to have former LouisianaGovernor Buddy Roemer."

And we've been told our own Erin McCarty is also on tap to judge the contest.  (I've also volunteered, but no word on whether I'll be chosen.)

Roberts says sponsorthips range from $100 to $2,500 and feature a variety of promotions, food tickets, event t-shirts and other incentives.  Cost to enter the cook-off is $100 for either non-seafood or seafood gumbo, or $125 to compete with both.  The winning team in each category gets $400.

Vendors are needed, too.  Booths are only $25 each.  Louisiana-themed or Louisiana-made items are preferred, and booth space is limited.

So...what does money raised at the event go toward?  Roberts says it all benefits VYJ's programs for abused, neglected and at-risk children right here in Northwest Louisiana.

Listen to the rest of our interview HERE: