EggFest

November 2, 2023

Pensacola EggFest: #GoodFood #GoodCause

Grilling festival showcases all the Big Green Egg can do

By Michelle Farnham
Nov. 2, 2023

PENSACOLA – The weather might be cooling down, but the grills are heating up! The 11th annual Pensacola EggFest is back for its 11th year, serving up unlimited samples of grilled delights prepared on that instantly recognizable kamado-style grill, The Big Green Egg. Held at the Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar Street in Pensacola, EggFest is presented by Kia Autosport and runs from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12.

Pensacola EggFest

So what can ticket-holders expect? Admission gets you into the stadium where you can bounce from table-to-table, enjoying freshly grilled bites from each of the cook teams, while marveling at how versatile the Big Green Egg can be. Beef, pork, chicken, seafood – even pizza and desserts can be created, and cook teams will be looking to earn points with flavor, creativity and presentation.

Pensacola EggFest

“We have everything from barbecue to dessert to paella,” event founder and co-organizer Jerold Hall said. “You name it, these guys can come up with whatever they want – we had bacon-wrapped dates and smoked mullet dip win it one year. That’s one of the cools things about this. You want to cut your grilling chops? Go cook against different recipes!”

More than 40 cook teams are competing for grilling glory, with prizes going to the top three Judges’ Choice and top three People’s Choice teams, as well as one team that best represents “the Spirit of EggFest.”

This year’s panel of judges includes award-winning chef and TV star Big Moe Cason, Iraq War veteran and New York Times best-selling author Kevin Lacz, columnist Sean Dietrich, and chefs Bob Trudnak and New Zealand’s Michael Jeffries.

“Probably 60 to 70 percent of our teams return every year,” Hall added. “We have a great, loyal following: restaurants, backyard guys, recovering chefs, and everything in between. It’s a lot of fun.”

He pointed to perennial favorites T Grill With E’s, Legendary Marine’s Yacht Q team, Momentum Church, Hot Spots Charters, and Pensacola Celebrity Chef Dan Dunn to be strong contenders for the 2023 title.

Pensacola EggFest

Hall said they are able to welcome just a few more cook teams before they hit their cap, if any groups are interested.

“This year’s ticket sales and team registration has out-paced last year’s event,” Hall said. “We cut the teams off at 50 because of space. You think of a stadium as being big, but it’s full of seats! We always have a few last-minute entries. We’ve got some new restaurants coming, including Ruby Slipper Cafe and The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint.”

While spots for Friday’s VIP dinner and Iron EggChef Battle have sold out, general admission tickets are still available online for $55. Children under age 10 are admitted free.

Once the smoke has cleared and the charcoal cooled, there’s the business of what to do with all 70 of the once-used Big Green Eggs. Escambia Electric Motor Service will be selling off the demo grills at a discount ranging from $150 to $436; interested grillers should call 850-432-1577 to place a $100 non-refundable deposit.

EggFest is a regional event held in locations all around the country. The Pensacola installment serves flavor, fun, and fundraising. Proceeds support Rally! Foundation, which provides financial assistance to families of children battling cancer; as well as Manna Food Pantry, Studer Community Institute, and other local charities. Since 2013, this volunteer-run event has raised over $650,000 for local charities.

For more information, tickets, or to enter your cook team, visit www.pensacolaeggfest.com.

Photos courtesy of Pensacola EggFest

Pensacola EggFest

August 23, 2023

Eggs on the Beach names judges, Angel’s Envy partnership

Blog, Home Page Blog

Limited cook team spots remain for Oct. 14 cooking competition

Aug. 23, 2023
Special to 30A Food & Wine

MIRAMAR BEACH – Each year, cook teams vie for the coveted Taster’s Choice Awards and bragging rights while tasters indulge with unlimited bites and live music at the popular Eggs on the Beach cooking competition. The popular foodie event will return to Seascape Resort on Saturday, Oct. 14, and in addition to rallying for taster votes, cook teams will also compete for recognition by a distinguished panel of honorary judges. In addition, this year’s competition will include a new category, Best Angel’s Envy Bite, celebrating the event’s new partnership with Angel’s Envy Bourbon.

“Our cook-friendly competition encourages camaraderie and fun for a great cause,” said co-founder Wayne Paul. “That said, we also know that our cook teams want an expert opinion. We’re excited to bring a diverse line-up of chefs and restauranteurs to review this year’s bites and present judge’s trophies in addition to our Taster’s Choice Awards.”

Judges include Jude Tauzin, Dan Tederous, Nikki Nickerson, Carrie Honaker and Chad Donelson.

The 2023 honorary judges bring diverse backgrounds and will evaluate bites based on taste, creativity and presentation to award the coveted Judge’s Trophies. The 2023 honorary judges include Chef Jude Tauzin, corporate chef for Tony Chachere’s from Lafayette, La.; Chef Dan Tederous, corporate chef for Hilton Sandestin; Nikki Nickerson, founder of Cowgirl Hospitality Group; Carrie Honaker, Florida Food & Travel Writer for Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Wine Enthusiast, among others; and Michelin restaurant-trained Chef Chad Donelson, executive chef of Bitterroot. These culinary experts will mix and mingle with the crowd, tasting each team’s culinary creations and collaborating to award this year’s trophy winners.

In addition to the People’s Choice Awards and Judge’s Trophies, each team will be provided with a bottle of Angel’s Envy Bourbon to incorporate into their bite if they so choose and compete for Best Angel’s Envy Bite. For tasters, Angel’s Envy will have a tasting table providing cocktail samples to attendees who are age 21 or over. As an added bonus, Angel’s Envy Bourbon will be available for sale with complimentary custom engraving for those who wish to commemorate the day with gifts or a personalized souvenir.

Cook teams with the most taster’s votes may win either cash or prizes. The team with the most votes will win a Large Big Green Egg, valued at $1,449. The runner up with the second most votes will receive a medium Big Green Egg and the third-place team will receive a mini-max Big Green Egg. Cook teams representing a non-profit organization have the opportunity to earn up to $3,500 toward their cause.

New to this year’s event, Eggs on the Beach will include a Junior Chefs Competition. Open to five youth cook teams, the junior cook team category will allow young chefs, ages 8 to 14, an opportunity to showcase their talents and compete for bragging rights, medals and cash prizes. Junior Cook Teams will present their bite to the honorary judges only, to evaluate it based on taste and presentation to determine the winners.

The best part of the competition is that the proceeds benefit two local non-profits: the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and Food for Thought. Providing a home away from home and meals for military families during medical treatment, Fisher House of the Emerald Coast serves those who have served our country. Fighting food insecurity among area students, Food for Thought provides backpacks filled with healthy foods to students in need. In addition to these two charity partners, other non-profit organizations will also have the opportunity to compete for taster votes to earn cash donations toward their cause.

The cooking competition will be enhanced with live music by Dan Collins and Becca of Black Eyed Blonde, as well a chance to win a Mini-Max Big Green Egg. Beer, wine, cocktails, water and sodas will also be available for purchase at the Tiki Bar. Cook teams will be rewarded with complementary beer by Abita Beer Company.

For those who have thought of owning a Big Green Egg, demo Eggs, which are used during the competition, are available for pre-sale at a discounted price. Demo Eggs are available in Large or XLarge and come with a nest (metal stand), rubber mat and plate setter along with a limited lifetime warranty. Demo Eggs will be available for pick-up between 3 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 14.

A limited number of cook team spots remain, including non-profit and youth cook team categories. To sign up, contact Susan Kiley at Bay Breeze Patio, 850-269-4666. Taster tickets are on-sale now for $45 in advance and include unlimited bites, live music, Angel’s Envy samples, a chance to win a mini-max Big Green Egg and more. Tickets are $18 for children ages 11-17; kids ages 10 and under are free. To learn more, purchase tickets or register a cook team, visit www.EggsontheBeach.com or call 850-269-4666.

October 17, 2022

Eggs on the Beach: A griller thriller

Blog, Home Page Blog

Bites

Sea Market: Smoked pork belly with mac & cheese

Sea Market: Smoked Scottish salmon with passion fruit

InDyne: Grilled bacon-wrapped Gulf shrimp

Healing Paws For Warriors: Korean brisket burnt end with pickled veg

Food For Thought: Meatballs

K’Eggs Over Easy: Texas Twinkies

Sea Market, K’Eggs Over Easy, Healing Paws big winners

By Michelle Farnham
Oct. 17, 2022

MIRAMAR BEACH – Seascape Towne Centre was smoking Oct. 15, as hungry taste-testers had their fill – and then some – at the eighth annual Eggs on the Beach grilling competition.

Event organizer and Bay Breeze Patio owner Susan Kiley was all smiles, basking in what she called “chamber of commerce weather” as she watched the EggFest unfold, trusty clipboard in hand.

“We have 20 cook teams. New this year, Knob Creek is sampling a lineup of cocktail drinks and Abita Beer is sampling beers in our beer garden,” Kiley pointed out. “The raffle is probably the best raffle we’ve ever had, but I have to say – by far – this is the best food year I have ever seen. The food has been unbelievable.”

Cook teams are competing for prizes, including Best Knob Creek Bite, deemed to have most effectively utilized the Kentucky bourbon; Best Non-Profit Team; and the highly coveted Taster’s Choice, which allows attendees to vote via ticket system.

For the Judges’ Choice category, five honorary judges sampled food from each team, determining the winner based on such categories as taste and appearance. This year’s panel included Texas barbecue legend Chef John O’Neil, Chef Al Massa of Brotula’s Seafood House, private chef Kali Davis, Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood GM Mike McIntosh, and freelance food writer Abigail Abesamis Demarest.

Chef John O'Neil — Chef John O’Neil take his turn at the Big Green Egg.

O’Neil – who has a house here on the bay – even got called into duty, filling in after a member of the Food For Thought cook team had an emergency.

He was elbow-deep in beef, creating a dish he called “How Do You Do Your Wagyu?” using Honor Wagyu from Dallas, including beef bacon, New York strip and flat steak. His secret ingredient was his homemade non-alcoholic coffee syrup barbecue sauce, combined with Knob Creek to make a candy glaze. He topped everything off with his own Dude Food Fire spice blend.

When it comes to judging duty, O’Neil said he was really looking for depth of flavor.

“Anyone can grill, but if you have access to 15 hours of cooking, it had better taste deep,” O’Neil said. “Taste is 50 percent, but what did you do for creativity, what did you do to run with an idea, what did you do for visual aesthetic?”

Compared to the traditional Texas barbecue he’s accustomed to, O’Neil noticed beach barbecuers liked to incorporate a lot more tropical fruit, salt, and more heat, the latter he attributed to the area’s New Orleans influence.

Pete Goldman of Breezy’s Biscuits teamed up with “G-Stack” and “A-Stack” on the Mind If I Smoke? team. Together they created pork belly burnt ends with Knob Creek maple bourbon glaze, served with sweet sliced pickles, smoked mac and cheese, accompanied with one of Goldman’s hatch green chili cheddar biscuits.

This was Goldman’s first EggFest, and he was blown away.

“I think this is an amazing event! The turnout is probably 10 times what I expected!” Goldman said. “Food is what drives this city – as well as the beach – and we’re brining Georgia, we’re bringing Tennessee, we’re bringing Florida flavors right here.”

Across the complex, the Smoke on the Bay team included Jimmy Powell and Keith Landry, who were first-time attendees in 2021 and decided to enter as a cook team this year with their authentic Cuban pork with beans and rice.

Landry said the dish was inspired by a dinner served at a Cuban friend’s house. Starting with a pork roast, they marinated it in a spice rub, slow-cooked it for 15 hours, made a mojo sauce using freshly-squeezed oranges, and a side of Cuban beans and rice.

“My friend made this dish and I thought it was the best pork I’d ever eaten,” Landry explained. “We’ve been making this for at least 25 years. The dish just lends itself to being cooked on the Big Green Egg. When you’re smoking it, you’re doing it low and slow, and that’s the idea.”

Eggs on the Beach has both good food and good causes. Proceeds benefit The Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and Food for Thought, and has raised well over $200,000 since its inception.

Chef Gio Filippone checks out the growing vote jar at the Eggstrahs table.

CONTEST WINNERS

Judges’ Choice

1. Sea Market
2. InDyne
3. Brock Pest Control

Best Knob Creek Bite

1. K’eggs Over Easy
2. Brock Pest Control
3. Sea Market

Best Non-Profit Pick

1. Healing Paws For Warriors: Blue Mountain Bakery
2. The Eggstrahs: South Walton Academy
3. Food For Thought

Taster’s Choice

1. K’Eggs Over Easy
2. Nice Racks
3. InDyne

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Winner gallery

Brock Pest Control

Healing Paws 4 Warriors

InDyne

K’Eggs Over Easy

Sea Market

Nice Racks

South Walton Academy

October 17, 2021

Eggs on the Beach: Fired up for fun and philanthropy

Blog, Home Page Blog, Uncategorized

Seventh EggFest celebrates Big Green Egg grills

By Michelle Farnham
Oct. 17, 2021

SEASCAPE – Good food, good weather, good fun and good causes converged at Seascape Towne Center Oct. 16, as the Eggs on the Beach EggFest Cooking Competition returned for a seventh time.

Susan Kiley of Bay Breeze Patio co-organizes the event, and was very pleased with how the 2021 installment turned out.

“We had to change venues so that we could spread people out, put each group in individual tents, and it ends up that this is really a perfect venue. Everyone is loving it,” Kiley said, adding the decision to move the EggFest from September to October was also wise. “To not be 97 degrees is delightful.”

The eats

With nearly two dozen cook teams competing for fame and prizes, competitors had to bring creativity and originality to catch the attention of tasters, who used tickets to vote for their favorites. Team “Here for the Beer” passed out their Texas Twinkies: bacon-wrapped jalapeño peppers with zesty cheese filling. The Combat Diver Foundation had eggs frying to top their huevos rancheros plates. BE-CI satisfied the sweet tooth with their smoked bananas foster bite.

Mike Sturdivant was helping to man the “Hot Decks” table for Walton County Skate Society. The organization that built the skate park in Santa Rosa Beach drew inspiration from their sport, constructing an edible skateboard: smoked sausage wheels, a Black Bear Bread deck, mozzarella cheese, topped with a blueberry reduction sauce.

The battle of the smoked tuna dip was waged between Food For Thought, Saltwater Grill and Team No Bad Days. Sinfonia Gulf Coast enticed voters with cups of vodka tea lemonade accompanying their grilled shrimp with gazpacho – a collaboration with Destin Ice Market 30A – but also promised a musical fanfare from the student musicians for each ticket collected.

Volunteering at the Blue Angels Foundation table, Terry Mauer of the Florida SBDC joked their strategy was to overwhelm tasters with their giant plates of smoked beef molé chilaquiles with avocado hollandaise.

“Our goal is to fill everyone up so they don’t have room to taste any of the other food!” Mauer said with a laugh.

Tasked with picking Judges’ Choice winners were local culinary experts Chef Dan Vargo from Fine Coastal Cuisine, Chef Dave Bishop of Bud & Alley’s, Chef Gary Serafin of Emerald Coast Catering and Chef Mimmo La Innusa from Mimmo’s Ristorante Italiano.

“We’re judging on taste, presentation and uniqueness, but also different ways the teams are able to use the Green Egg.” – Chef Dan Vargo

“Of course we’re judging on taste, presentation and uniqueness, but also different ways the teams are able to use the Green Egg,” explained Vargo. “There are a few here that really used it on every aspect on their plate, from the oil to the spice rub to the bread – everything. It’s always fun to see cooks that aren’t professional cooks and what they can do.”

Vargo was especially pleased to be involved with this year’s event after the 2020 EggFest was cancelled due to the pandemic.

“It’s great to see people out and about,” he said. “The event does great things for the community charities, and of course we’re all benefiting from the social aspect of it.”

Chef Dave Bishop of Bud & Alley’s considers the entry from the Blue Angels Foundation.

Knob Creek Bourbon was back as an event sponsor, offering its own tier of awards for the cook teams that incorporated the Kentucky whiskey into their dishes.

In addition to ticket sales – which Kiley estimated exceeded 600 – additional funds were raised through a raffle drawing for everything from a MiniMax Big Green Egg to a condo stay, with all of the day’s proceeds benefiting Food For Thought and Fisher House of the Emerald Coast.

EggFest Awards

Knob Creek Best Bite

1 – South Walton Academy The Eggstras
2 – BE-CI
3 – Food For Thought Get Out the Grill
Honorable Mention – Premier Group
Honorable Mention – Confidential BBQ

Non-Profit Group

1 – Healing Paws 4 Warriors – $3,000
2 – South Walton Academy The Eggstras – $2,000
3 – Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast – $1,000
3 – Sinfonia Gulf Orchestra – $1,000

Judges’ Choice trophies

1 – Brock Landscaping/Fisher House
2 – Blue Angels
3 – Saltwater Grill

Taster’s Choice prizes

1 – Healing Paws 4 Warriors – XL Big Green Egg
2 – Saltwater Restaurants – Large Big Green Egg
3 – BE-CI – MiniMax Big Green Egg

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Photo Slideshow:

Cajun shrimp with gouda grits

Brock Landscaping’s Cajun shrimp with gouda grits took the judge’s trophy.

Chef Gio Filippone of Mama Clemenza’s offered his talents to South Walton Academy, bringing his bacon-wrapped venison rolls with banana pepper.

Chef Kyle Swift of Blue Mountain Bakery collaborated with Healing Paws 4 Warriors.

Mike Sturdivant of Walton Skate Society served edible skateboards.

It was blue skies and barbecue at the seventh annual EggFest!

The chicken wings from Boys & Girls Club tied for third in the non-profit division.

October 6, 2021

Eggs on the Beach: Firing up the grills again Oct. 16

Blog, Home Page Blog, Uncategorized

By Michelle Farnham
Oct. 6, 2021

SEASCAPE – While the coals were extinguished last year due to the pandemic, local grilling enthusiasts are back to cooking with fire for the seventh annual Eggs on the Beach EggFest Cooking Competition!

“Tasters can taste unlimited bites from our cook teams, many of which serve multiple recipes and sometimes pair their bite with a complementary cocktail.” – Susan Kiley

Hosted by Bay Breeze Patio, this beloved culinary event celebrates the Big Green Egg, a kamado-style ceramic charcoal barbecue cooker capable of cranking out anything you can do in a grill, oven, or smoker.

Bay Breeze owners Susan Kiley and Wayne Paul are planning a smaller, more intimate affair this year, scheduled for Oct. 16.

“We’re moving to the Seascape Towne Center where cook teams will have individual tents instead of being under one large tent,” Kiley said. “The open-air setting will allow for social distancing and masks are encouraged.”

She said their goal is 24 cook teams – a combination of non-profits, backyard grill teams, and local restaurants.

Ticket holders – also known as Tasters – make their rounds through tents to visit each team’s grilling station. Alongside an esteemed panel of judges, they vote for their favorites using their allotment of five tickets.

“Tasters can taste unlimited bites from our cook teams, many of which serve multiple recipes and sometimes pair their bite with a complementary cocktail or beverage,” Kiley said. “In addition, Knob Creek has traditionally held tasting seminars, and ENCO Electronics sponsors our Sports Zone, broadcasting the most popular college football games. In addition, we have a Kids Zone for those who bring their family.”

Competitors — Dozens of community organizations compete for the title.

Teams are competing for those tickets, and thus bragging rights and prizes.

“For our backyard and restaurant teams, they are vying for a chance to win a Big Green Egg,” explained Kiley. “Our non-profit teams are competing for a cash donation toward their cause.

“All cook teams are competing for a Judge’s Trophy. Our honorary judges come out to ensure cook teams are not just competing for Taster votes, but also the prestige of being recognized by our judges, which are reputable local and regional culinary celebrities.”

In 2019, the Non-Profit Division saw South Walton Academy walk away with top honors and a $3,500 prize, while Sinfonia Youth Orchestra and Rotary Club of Destin also earned funding ($2,500 and $1,500, respectively). Judges’ Trophies went to Saltwater Restaurants, SETCO Services and Westonwood Ranch. People’s Choice winners included Saltwater Restaurants, Scenic Sotheby’s and Five Wild Blazing Medical Cooks.

Enjoy live music as you mingle and taste – rain or shine. The festivities are about more than good food and a good time, though, as proceeds will benefit local non-profits Food For Thought and Fisher House of the Emerald Coast. A drawing for prizes – including a Mini-Max Big Green Egg – also raises money for these groups.

“When we created Eggs on the Beach, we wanted to be sure to create a deliciously fun event that benefitted our local community,” Kiley said. “With the large military presence in our area, we really wanted to benefit those who serve our country. We connected with the team at the Fisher House for our inaugural event and it’s been a great partnership. We added Food for Thought in year two to serve kids in need in Walton and Okaloosa counties.”

Eggs on the Beach EggFest Cooking Competition will be held Saturday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Seascape Towne Center, on the South side of Highway 98. Tickets and cook team registration will be available at www.eggsonthebeach.com.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

June 6, 2020

Eggs on the Beach canceled for 2020

Blog, Home Page Blog

Fundraiser pushed to 2021 citing public safety, economy

June 5, 2020
Special to 30A Food and Wine

MIRAMAR BEACH – Susan Kiley and Wayne Paul, organizers of the annual Eggs on the Beach grilling fundraiser, announced they have canceled the annual event for 2020.

“It was not an easy call for many reasons,” said Kiley and Paul, who also own Bay Breeze Patio in Miramar Beach. “‘Eggs’ does not easily lend itself to social distancing so we are reluctant to take any chances with anyone’s health. And, we feel we cannot ask our friends, family and fellow business owners to spend sponsorship dollars on ‘Eggs’ when things have been so rough this year.”

The seventh annual EggFest had been scheduled for Sept. 26 at Seascape Resort. Kiley and Paul plan to bring back the grilling extravaganza in 2021.

Centered around the popular Big Green Egg Komodo-style grill, Eggs on the Beach raises money for local causes. The 2019 installment brought in $40,000 for Food for Thought and Fisher House of the Emerald Coast.