Kingston Chef Takes Third in Great American Seafood Cook Off

Article by Davy James, davy.james@patch.com

South Brunswick's top chef recently finished near the top of a cook off with the cream of the crop among chefs from around America.

Christopher Albrecht, the Executive Chef at Eno Terra in Kingston, took third place in the Great American Seafood Cook Off in New Orleans on Aug. 3 with his preparation of Golden Tilefish and Green Vegetable Chowder.

“Congratulations to the Garden State’s Chef Christopher Albrecht for demonstrating his culinary excellence with our bountiful Jersey Seafood and Jersey Fresh produce,” said First Lady Mary Pat Christie via release. “His achievements in New Orleans shine a bright light on New Jersey and our thriving seafood industry.”

Albrecht won the 2013 New Jersey Seafood Challenge on June 20 at Drumthwacket in Princeton. Winning the competition allowed Albrecht and his sous chef, John Crawford Koeniger, to advance to the national competition against top seafood chefs from Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas.

Taking top honors in the competition was Chef David Crews, who represented Mississippi in winning the 2013 King of American Seafood with his Southern Nicoise Salad, featuring crab and tuna.  The second place winner was Chef Eric Stumpf of New Mexico.

“Being able to represent New Jersey and show off the Garden State on a national stage was incredibly important,” Albrecht via release. “New Jersey has some of the best chefs in the country, and our showing at the Great American Seafood Cook-off is a testament to the quality of our state’s seafood and chefs.”

In 2011, New Jersey fishermen caught 175.5 million pounds of seafood at a value of $211.7 million, according to the state Department of Agriculture. The industry currently employs about 2,500 commercial fishermen, with 1,500 working for 109 seafood processors and dealers, the department said.

New Jersey's top species by dollar value include sea scallops, surf clams, oysters, hard clams, blue crabs, ocean quahogs and fluke.

Albrecht was praised by state officials for shining a positive light on New Jersey's burgeoning seafood industry.