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GUMBO GALA RECENT WINNERS

2019 Winners

Artist Contest ~ Nancy Ellis Cooper

Most Fundraising ~ Johnny Roast Beef​

Most Spirit 1st Place ~ Ascension Episcopal Church

Most Spirit 2nd Place ~ FIT Biscuit

Most Spirit 3rd Place ~ Comfort Care Home Health

Chef's Choice Chicken & Sausage ~ Amedisys

Chef's Choice Seafood ~ Wallace State

Chef's Choice Specialty ~ Cajun Steamer

Gumbo Divine ~ St. Stephen's Creole Crusaders

Student Krewe ~ Wallace State Cullinary Pride

People's Choice 1st Place ~ St. Mary's Birmingham

People's Choice 2nd Place ~ Johnny Roast Beef

People's Choice 3rd Place ~ Holy Apostles

Backyard 1st Place ~ LSU Alumni Chapter

Backyard 2nd Place ~ St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Backyard 3rd Place ~ St. Stephen's

Birmingham's Best Pro Gumbo ~ Cajun Cleaver

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2018 Winners

Artist Contest ~ Nancy Ellis Cooper

Most Fundraising ~ Boateng's Cajun Creations

Most Spirit 1st Place ~ Ascension Episcopal

Most Spirit 2nd Place ~ Holy Apostles

Most Spirit 3rd Place ~ All Saints' Adult Krewe

Chef's Choice Chicken & Sausage ~ Old Oak

Chef's Choice Seafood ~ Birmingham Soul Sisters

Chef's Choice Specialty ~ Ascension Episcopal

Gumbo Divine ~ St. Stephen's Creole Crusaders

Student Krewe ~ Wallace State

People's Choice 1st Place ~ Holy Apostles

People's Choice 2nd Place ~ Dodd Law Firm

People's Choice 3rd Place ~ St. Mary's

Backyard 1st Place ~ Team Ennis

Backyard 2nd Place ~ Samford Nutrition & Dietetic

Backyard 3rd Place ~ Regions Bank

Birmingham's Best Pro Gumbo ~ Cajun Cleaver

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2017 Winners

Artist Contest ~ Eric Poland

Fundraising ~ Highland Commercial Mortgage

Most Spirit 1st Place ~ St. Mary's

Most Spirit 2nd Place ~ Holy Apostles

Most Spirit 3rd Place ~ Ascension Episcopal

Chef's Choice Chicken/Sausage ~ All Saints' Y.A.

Chef's Choice Seafood ~ LSU Alumni

Chef's Choice Specialty ~ Boateng's

Gumbo Divine ~ St. Mary's on the Highlands

Student Krewe ~ Wallace State Cullinary Pride

People's Choice 1st Place ~ Wind Creek

People's Choice 2nd Place ~ Dodd Law Firm

People's Choice 3rd Place ~ Old Oak Advisors

Backyard 1st Place ~ St. Mary's

Backyard 2nd Place ~ SPM

Backyard 3rd Place ~ St. Francis of Assisi

Birmingham's Best Pro Gumbo ~ Dodd Law Firm

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2016 Winners

Most Spirit 1st Place ~ Holy Apostles

Most Spirit 2nd Place ~ Ascension

Most Spirit 3rd Place ~ Pelham Financial

Chef's Choice Chicken & Sausage ~ Gallagher

Chef's Choice Seafood ~ Spoon & Ladle

Chef's Choice Specialty ~ Boateng's

Gumbo Divine ~ St. Mark's Birmingham

People's Choice 1st Place ~ Gallagher Co.

People's Choice 2nd Place ~ St. Martins

People's Choice 3rd Place ~ Dyron's Low Country

Backyard 1st Place ~ The Abbey

Backyard 2nd Place ~ Pathways

Backyard 3rd Place ~ Estes Automotive

Birmingham's Best Pro Gumbo ~ WorkPlay

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2015 Winners

Most Spirit 1st Place ~ Holy Apostles

Most Spirit 2nd Place ~ Ascension

Most Spirit 3rd Place ~ Three Hots and a Cot

Chef's Choice Chicken & Sausage ~ Gallagher

Chef's Choice Seafood ~ St. Martins

Chef's Choice Specialty ~ Boateng's

Gumbo Divine ~ Trinity Commons

People's Choice 1st Place ~ WorkPlay

People's Choice 2nd Place ~ Gallagher

People's Choice 3rd Place ~ St. Mary's

Backyard 1st Place ~ Royal Cup

Backyard 2nd Place ~ St. Luke's

Backyard 3rd Place ~ Kirkwood by the River

Birmingham's Best Pro Gumbo ~ Spoon & Ladle 

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Gumbo Judging Explained

Artist Contest-Artists are invited to submit their personal creations that best interpret what Gumbo Gala is. This art is selected and used for that year's posters and t-shirt. 

Most Fundraising is for teams that raise the most money for Episcopal Place. Gumbo Gala is a fundraiser benefiting the residents of Episcopal Place. 

Most Spirit It's all about fun! Teams are scored on team spirit, cook site decor, costumes, and team theme. This is judged by several judges that wander and visit teams throughout the day.

Chef's Choice Chicken/Sausage is when all teams (Professional, Backyard, and Student teams) that made Chicken/Sausage gumbo compete for the best. 

Chef's Choice Seafood is when all teams (Professional, Backyard, and Student teams) that made Seafood gumbo compete for the best.

Chef's Choice Specialty is when all teams (Professional, Backyard, and Student teams) that made "Specialty" gumbo compete for the best. Specialty is defined as having ingredients other than the traditional Seafood or Chicken/Sausage. Examples include smoked duck, Alligator meat. quail, turkey, vegetarian, etc. 
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Gumbo Divine is a special category for any Church related team and is judged by a panel of clergy from the community. 
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Student Krewe competitors are from any High School or College culinary program. 

People's Choice is based on votes from the patrons attending the Gala. Each guest is given one ticket at the entrance as asked to vote for their favorite gumbo. The tickets are counted at the end of the day. 

Birmingham's Best Gumbo:  All Backyard & Pro teams, regardless of the type of gumbo, is tasted, discussed and selected by at least three panels of judges.  There is one winner for Professional as well as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for the Backyard category.

Teams take their Gumbo creations very seriously as do the judges. It is a blind process meaning that teams are identified by assigned numbers only and no judge knows the identity of the teams they are tasting until the winners are announced.

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