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Jamie Spence’s winning shrimp dish, a California-style wonton-wrapped shrimp with a spicy rice ball. Danielle Puleo photo

John Tuner from Sandtrap Tavern, who won Chef’s Choice with his chili lime shrimp cake. Danielle Puleo photo

April Morrisette and Matt Hale, who took home second place in Chef’s Choice. Danielle Puleo photo

Chef Matt Payne of Bad Bean created a “shrimp biscuits and gravy” made of a shrimp and pork meatball with shrimp-fortified pepper gravy, crispy ground pig ears and some chives. Danielle Puleo photo

Jennifer, Jeff and Kaitlyn Schwartzenberg served up a “shrimply irresistible” dish for the judges: coconut milk soft serve and panko-crusted coconut shrimp. Danielle Puleo photo

Annette and Jeff Geesin have been volunteering with the Shrimp Cookoff fundraiser for three years. Danielle Puleo photo

The 10^th Annual Outer Banks Shrimp Cookoff took place on Sunday, Nov. 3 to benefit dolphin research. The event was held at Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar in Kitty Hawk and was sponsored by Kitty Hawk Kites, the Nags Head Dolphin Watch, the Outer Banks Veterinary Hospital, Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates, Access Design and Jam Media Solutions.

Jessica Taylor, executive director of the OBX Center for Dolphin Research, said this is their biggest fundraising event of the year. “This event is our largest and helps to fund expenses for our boat surveys,” she said. The research team takes multiple boat trips a year around the Outer Banks to take and catalog dolphin fin photos for identification.

Volunteers from around the county come out to help with these boat trips and surveys. Jeff Geesin, a retired biochemist, along with his wife, Annette Geesin, are two volunteers. “We’ve been helping with this event for three years, and we love it.” Jeff said.

Each year, the research team aims to include seven to 10 chefs in their annual shrimp cookoff. This year, they had a large amount of interest, according to Taylor. Ten chefs faced off to see who could come up with the most creative and delicious shrimp dish.

While local restaurant chefs competed to make the best shrimp dish, a large silent auction with donations from local businesses took place. There were also drink specials, an MC and a 50/50 raffle.

The judges participated in a blind taste test during the event. At the end of the day, they said this was the hardest decision they have had to make to determine a winner. “This year, it seemed like everyone was very creative in the dishes that they chose to make,” they said.

There were three different categories for judging: Judge’s Choice, People’s Choice and Chef’s Choice. For the first time ever, one chef took home first place in two categories.

With his California-style wonton-wrapped shrimp with a spicy rice ball, Jamie Spence from Ocean Boulevard won the hearts of the judges and the guests with his dish. Chef Matt Hale from Aqua and Chef Jim Smith of Shipwrecks won second and third place in Judge’s Choice, respectively.

John Turner from Sandtrap Tavern won Chef’s Choice with his chili lime shrimp cake served on a steamed bun with sriracha tartar sauce. Sooey’s BBQ came in second, followed by Red Drum in third.

Stay tuned for the 11^th Annual Shrimp Cookoff date, to take place in 2020.

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