Every year at the National Cornbread Festival, Lodge hosts the National Cornbread Cook-off. Who will make the best cornbread this year? 

Our hometown of South Pittsburg loves cornbread so much, we throw a celebration every April in its honor. Known as the National Cornbread Festival, visitors come from far and wide for a fun-filled weekend. Part of the celebration includes the Lodge National Cornbread Cook-off, an exciting culinary competition.

Submissions pour in across the nation as we search for the best cornbread recipe. Chosen contestants must make a main dish or entrée for the cook-off using one cup of Martha White^® Cornmeal in a Lodge seasoned cast iron skillet.

This year, five out of 10 contestants are featuring seafood in their entries. The gauntlet has been thrown, and we believe the 23rd Annual Cook-off will indeed expand the concept of cornbread. The competition begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 on Third Street in South Pittsburg. 

Other than bragging rights, the Cook-off Champion wins a $5,000 cash prize and a 30-inch stainless steel gas range (a $3,250 value) from FiveStar^® Professional Cooking Equipment, a division of Brown^® Stove Works.

The second place competitor wins $1,500 and the third place competitor wins $1,000. The remaining seven finalists will collect $150 for competing. All finalists also receive a $500 travel reimbursement. To enhance audience appeal, the cook-off features an Iron Chef format, with one continuous competition. 

Judges for the cook-off are well-respected chefs, culinary influencers, and food writers. Just like past years of the Lodge National Cornbread Cook-off, the field of competitors hails from states throughout the country, including Illinois, New Jersey, Utah, California and Tennessee. 

Meet the contestants:

• Nancy Angelici from Wyckoff, N.J., making Sweet and Spicy Seafood Corncakes With Toasted Sesame Slaw
• Judy Armstrong from Prairieville, La., making Shrimp Boil Cornbread as Étouffée
• Julie Beckwith from Crete, Ill., making Mexican Corn Cakes With Charred Corn, Carne Asada, Refried Beans, and Guasacaca (Avocado) Sauce
• Gloria Bradley from Naperville, Ill., making Cajun Shrimp 'n Grits, Cheddar Cornbread, Tabasco Butter Sauce
• Linda Cifuentes from Mahomet, Ill., making Sweet and Sassy Cornbread and Chicken Stack 
• Lidia Haddadian from Pasadena, Calif., making Smoky Cajun-Style Shrimp ’n Bacon Pizza With Crispy Cornbread Crust
• Chelsea Hanson from Nashville, Tenn., making Nashville Hot Chicken and Cornbread Waffles
• Shauna Havey from Roy, Utah, making Korean BBQ Pork Cornbread Totchos
• Shannon Kohn from Summerville, S.C. making “East-Meets-South” Moo Shu Sausage and Bacon With Scallion Cornbread Pancakes
• Chera Little from Cedar Creek, Texas, making Sesame Shrimp Corn Cakes Toasts With Warm Asian Slaw and Fried Vermicelli Noodles

For more information on the festival and cook-off, visit the National Cornbread Festival website here.