The Great American Seafood Cook-Off is set to begin Aug. 3. The national competition takes the best chefs from around the country and pits them in a public challenge, with the winner named the King or Queen of American Seafood. And now the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is searching for a candidate to represent the state.

 

From now until April 5, the second annual Great Alaska Seafood Cook-Off is taking applications from any chef in Alaska. All applications will be reviewed and the top six candidates will be selected to compete in a live competition May 8.

 

Last year chef Christopher Vane of Crush Wine Bistro whipped up a white "troll" king salmon pinwheels with two cakes, which won him a place at the national competition. He didn't win there, missing out to chef Gregory Gourdet from Portland, Ore.

 

The application is available on the Great Alaska Seafood Cook-Off website.