Prior to kickoff on Saturday, former Crimson Tide player Bob Baumhower, alongside renowned chefs from both Alabama and Louisiana, will attempt to create the world’s largest pot of gumbo to raise money for charities helping with tornado relief.
The event, called the “LouisiBama Gumbo Bowl,” will take place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. outside of the Ferguson Student Center and will cost $5. Attendees will receive a cup of seafood gumbo after it has been post-certified by Guinness World Records to ensure the world record is reached.
All funds raised will benefit the Nick’s Kids Fund, a nonprofit charity started by head coach Nick Saban and his wife Terry to promote and support children, family, teacher and student causes and Caring Days, a day program for adults with memory disorders.
“I was absolutely blown away by the devastation,” Baumhower said. “Initially, we set up with Don Staley [interim executive director of the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission] at Leland Shopping Center and started serving burgers to first responders and tornado victims.”
Baumhower and Staley were part of a large number of people who helped out at the shopping center in Alberta City in the days after April 27.
“Before you know it, there’s a little city there at Leland Shopping Center where folks are helping the affected folks and first responders,” he said.
John Folse, a Louisiana chef, asked Baumhower what he could do to help with tornado relief. Baumhower said he and Folse discussed doing some kind of fundraiser, and after considering some other ideas, including a wine dinner, they settled on a gumbo bowl.
Renowned chefs John Folse and Rick Tramont, alongside Baumhower and his executive chef Steve Zucker, will create the record-setting pot of gumbo using a 300-year-old cast iron pot from the sugarcane fields of South Louisiana.
The gumbo recipe calls for 750 pounds of shrimp, 450 pounds of catfish fillets, 100 pounds of claw crabmeat, 50 pounds of white crabmeat, 200 pounds of alligator meat, 25 pounds of Louisiana crawfish tail meat, 10 gallons of oysters with liquid, 200 pounds of diced onions, 75 pounds of diced celery, 100 pounds of diced green bell peppers, 150 pounds of sliced okra, 50 pounds of dehydrated garlic and 20 pounds of butter, according to a press release.
“All the seafood we use is Gulf Coast seafood,” Baumhower said. “It’s all wild shrimp, but it’s from Bayou La Batre or somewhere in Louisiana.
“And so the gumbo bowl was born.”
Baumhower said the competition itself will take place beginning at 2 p.m. and feature four LSU fans and four Alabama fans who will square off over their cast-iron pots in the preliminary round to determine who will represent each state in the finals, with the winner taking home the first ever Gumbo Bowl Tailgate Cook-Off Grand Champion trophy.
Judges for the event include LSU legend A.J. Duhe and former Alabama quarterback Kenny Stabler, as well as Alabama executive chef and Great American Seafood Cook-Off winner Jim Smith and “CSI: NY” star and former UA cheerleader Sela Ward.
For more information about the event, visit http://www.alabama.travel/?gclid=CLrivqSdiqwCFQ1U7Aode12Kqg. To purchase tickets, go to http://gumbobowl2011.ticketbud.com/tornado-relief.
