The Seafood Marketing and Aquaculture Development Program is involved in several cooking contests. Check back seasonally as we will update information as it becomes available.

The Program sponsors the National Oyster Cook-off. It is held in the Saturday of the third weekend of October in Leonardtown, Maryland. The Cook-off is held in conjunction with the St. Mary's County Oyster Festival, the home of the National Oyster Shucking Championship. The Cook-off is open to professional and non-professional oyster cooks. Visit www.usoysterfest.com for more information on the Festival.

We also assist with the National Hard Crab Derby & Fair Crab Cooking Contest. This contest is held in Crisfield, Maryland on the Friday before Labor Day. It features crab meat prepared any way you could imagine! This contest is open to amateurs only. Visit www.crisfieldchamber.com/crabderby.htm for more information about the National Hard Crab Derby.

The State of Maryland sponsors a chef to represent the state in the Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is held during the Gulf Coast Seafood Pavilion showcasing the domestic seafood industry. For more information on the contest, visit www.GreatAmericanSeafoodCookoff.com .

From 1998 through 2005, the Program held a Rockfish Cooking Contest as part of the Maryland Rockfish Celebration. It was held during the East Coast Commercial Fishermen's and Aquaculture Expo in Ocean City, Maryland. Down load a copy of the award-wining recipe brochure. Information on the Expo can be found at www.marylandwatermen.com.

The Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage and Lodging Expo hosts the ACF Chesapeake Chef Challenge. Professional chefs compete in this American Culinary Federation sanctioned contest using seafood of the Chesapeake Bay. For more information on the Expo visit www.midatlanticexpo.com/attendee/highlights.html.