Florida Seafood

A recipe featuring some of Florida’s all-time favorites -- snapper, shrimp, tropical fruit and citrus -- won out over submissions by 20 other premier chefs from around the country to capture top honors at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off held August 6 in New Orleans.
Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Chef Joshua Butler, Chef Justin Timineri, and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson, celebrate Florida's top honors.
FDACS Executive Chef Justin Timineri

Justin Timineri, executive chef for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, prepared the winning entree during the competition with assistance from Joshua Butler, chef to the Governor of Florida.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said winning this prestigious national competition is a reflection on the freshness and quality of Florida ingredients, as well as the creativity of the department’s executive chef.
“Delicious fresh Florida seafood is a superb start to any dish,” Bronson said. “Add in our chef’s innovative culinary approach, and you’ve got a winning combination. We’re extremely pleased that the judges selected Florida’s entry over such tough competition from around the country.”
All the participating chefs were given two hours from preparation to the presentation of the final dish. Chef Justin Timineri's “Crispy Pan Seared Florida Snapper with Passion Fruit Cream and Florida Citrus Salad with Florida Gulf Shrimp and Spicy Green Mango Jam” was chosen by a panel of six judges as the best new domestic seafood dish that reflected the chef’s home state.
The panel of judges included two James Beard Award-winning chefs, Susan Spicer of Bayona Restaurant in New Orleans, and Shawn McClain of Spring Restaurant in Chicago. Rounding out the panel were: Donna Florio, senior food writer, Southern Living Magazine; Julia Rutland, senior editor, Coastal Living Magazine; Bill Hogarth, director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and John Connelly, president, National Fisheries Institute.