World Championship Gumbo Cookoff
New Iberia, LA
October 8th, 9th & 10th, 2010

Gumbo is a rich soup built around a base of a dark, rich roux supplemented with celery, onion, peppers, spices and meat or seafood. Here in Louisiana, we revere gumbo. For those that don't know, roux is flour browned in butter or oil that is used as a thickening, coloring and flavoring agent in pot food like stews and gumbos.

To my mind, if I'm going to attend a Gumbo Festival, I want to taste multiple types of gumbos. I want to compare, experiment and indulge. Surprisingly, most of the five or so Gumbo Festivals in Louisiana merely offer huge quantities of the two traditional types of gumbo: seafood, and chicken & sausage. But fear not, at the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff in New Iberia, more than 60 teams gather to compete and create a wonderful array of this rich concoction.

A cute little town about half an hour south of Lafayette, New Iberia, LA was founded by Spaniards in the late 1700s. The festival takes place in Bouligny Plaza, a sun-drenched plaza on the banks of Bayou Teche within walking distance of downtown attractions and restaurants. Saturday is billed as a Cajun and Creole Food Festival presenting favorite local foods - jambalaya, boudin, etouffee and burgers. But you won't find any gumbo. That treat is saved for the big Cookoff on Sunday.

The lenient rules ensure a wide variety of gumbos - including the traditional combinations of chicken & sausage and seafood gumbos, as well as the promise of more exotic selections such as rabbit, quail, alligator or duck with sun-dried tomatoes. Contestants start arriving early at 6:00 a.m. They are not allowed to use electricity, and they have to prepare their roux on site. To make sure that everyone abides by the rules, The Gumbo Police inspect each team's ingredients before they begin cooking and then patrol the plaza throughout the day.

As a spectator, you may want to arrive early to wander among the booths, watch the cooking process, see the judging of best decorated and team skits, and question the cooks. By 11:00 a.m., after samples have been passed on to the judges, the public may purchase the gumbos for about $3.00 - $4.00 a portion. What a formidable, inspirational quest to try and sample dozens of delicious gumbos deep in south Louisiana. Although the festival continues until 4:00 p.m., make sure to arrive well before 1:00 p.m. when many of the gumbo pots have gone dry.

2010 dates: October 8th, 9th & 10th

Hours:
Friday 7:00 pm– 10:00 pm
Saturday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sunday 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Directions: New Iberia, LA is located about 30 minutes south of Lafayette, LA. From U.S. Hwy. 90, take LA 14 about four miles to downtown New Iberia. Bouligny Plaza is on Main Street (which runs parallel to Bayou Teche) between Iberia and French Streets.

For more information, call 337-364-1836.

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Photography © Syndey Byrd
Story © Julie Posner