Teams sought for cooking contest

ST. FRANCISVILLE — Sponsors of a festival honoring military veterans are seeking teams to enter cooking contests during the Nov. 9-10 event at the West Feliciana Parish Sports Park.

The Louisiana Veterans Foundation is sponsoring La. Vets Fest, which will include contests for the best cooked gumbo, barbecued chicken, smoked brisket, pulled pork and jambalaya.

Each cooking team must include one military veteran, but teams are not required to cook each dish.

Jambalaya and gumbo teams must cook at least a 10-gallon pot. The minimum for barbecuing chicken is 40 leg quarters, and the minimum for brisket and pulled pork is 25 pounds.

Entry fees will be $50 per team for one dish and $25 per team for each additional dish. The entry fee deadline is Sept. 1. An entry form and further instructions are available on the festival’s website, http://www.lavetsfest.com.

The festival also will feature entertainment and live and silent auctions. The dishes cooked in the competition will be sold to festival visitors, and the proceeds will benefit veterans in need through local veterans service organizations, the organizers said.