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.
