Seafood boils are a beloved tradition in New Orleans, where locals gather around to crack crustaceans and enjoy the communal experience. This tradition was celebrated at Pepsi’s inaugural Super Bowl Boil at Woldenberg Park, where eight New Orleans seafood boil restaurants competed for the title.
The finalists, Crawlins Seafood and Mr. Shrimp’s Kitchen, impressed the crowd with their flavorful boils, featuring crawfish, corn cobs, and potatoes piled high on plates. Attendees enjoyed live jazz music, cracked crawfish, nibbled on corn on the cob, and danced while voting for their favorite restaurant.
Four star judges, including Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and former Super Bowl champion Andrew Whitworth, sampled the seafood and declared Mr. Shrimp’s the winner. Chef Damaris Lennon Phillips, winner of “Food Network Star” season 9, praised the irresistible flavor of Mr. Shrimp’s boil, licking it off her fingers in delight.
Crawlins Seafood served a Viet-Cajun-style boil with garlic-parmesan corn and potatoes, while Mr. Shrimp’s Kitchen offered a Creole-style boil with a focus on infusing flavor inside the seafood. Both founders, Jimmy Nguyen and Larry G. Thompson Jr., grew up attending seafood boils and turned their traditions into successful restaurant concepts.
In the end, Mr. Shrimp’s Kitchen took home the trophy and a cash prize of $10,000. The event was a celebration of community, tradition, and the love that goes into creating a delicious seafood boil. So next time you attend a crawfish boil, remember to open that wet wipe packet before digging in and savor every flavorful bite.
