LSU and Alabama Bond Over World's Largest Pot of Gumbo

Chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto with football legend Bob Baumhower to set Guinness World Record for largest pot of gumbo, raise funds for Tuscaloosa tornado victims.

Renowned chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto, in light of the catastrophic tornadoes that ripped through Tuscaloosa, Ala, on April 27, have partnered with longtime friend Bob Baumhower, an Alabama football legend and former Miami Dolphins nose tackle, for a special event.

Together with Baumhower, the chefs have created a high-profile charitable event to assist those in communities still suffering and rebuilding from the tragic losses. On Nov. 5, the day of the much-publicized grudge match between highly ranked University of Alabama and LSU football teams, the chefs will kick off the first-ever "LouisiBama Gumbo Bowl" at the University of Alabama, next to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tickets are being sold in advance, and may be purchased at http://gumbobowl2011.ticketbud.com/tornado-relief.

The Event

The centerpiece of the day-long Gumbo Bowl extravaganza will be the creation of the world's largest pot of gumbo by chefs Folse and Tramonto, along with Baumhower and his Executive Chef Steve Zucker, which will be post-certified by Guinness World Records. The team will create a monster pot of gumbo, using a 300-year-old cast iron pot from the sugar cane fields of South Louisiana. The World's Largest Gumbo recipe calls for 750 pounds shrimp, 450 pounds catfish fillets, 100 pounds claw crabmeat, 50 pounds white crabmeat, 200 pounds alligator meat, and 25 pounds Louisiana crawfish tail meat.

All seafood for the World's Largest Gumbo is being donated by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board. Additionally, Arrow Sysco Corporation, based in New Orleans, will provide 200 pounds of diced onions, 75 pounds of diced celery, 100 pounds of diced green bell pepper, 150 pounds of sliced okra, 50 pounds of dehydrated garlic, and 20 pounds of butter. After simmering for three hours, the pot will be weighed via a forklift provided by Thompson Tractor. Then, the delicious, steaming contents will be doled out to hungry football fans during the spirited pre-game tailgate at the University of Alabama.

The day's events will also feature the "Gumbo Bowl" Tailgate Cook-Off, a highly competitive gumbo cooking competition sponsored by the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission and Lodge Manufacturing. Four LSU fans and four Alabama fans will square off over their Lodge cast-iron pots in a heated culinary battle for gumbo supremacy. The winner will take home the coveted Gumbo Bowl Tailgate Cook-Off Grand Champion trophy. With sports greats such as LSU legend A.J. Duhe and Alabama star Kenny Stabler, as well as Alabama Executive Chef and Great American Seafood Cook-Off winner Jim Smith judging the challenge, the stakes are high.

Finally, during the game, Folse, Tramonto, Baumhower and Zucker will present a check for the proceeds of the gumbo sales to representatives of both charities.

The Causes

The 116-year-old rivalry between the two schools will be set aside temporarily, as Louisianans and Alabamans come together in friendship to raise money for Nick's Kids Fund, http://www.nickskidsfund.com/, and Caring Days Adult Day Care, http://www.campaignforcaring.org/, two local nonprofit organizations that are working hand-in-hand with the greater Tuscaloosa community to restore areas and services that were hit hard by the tornadoes.

Nick's Kids Fund, an organization created by University of Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban and his wife Terry to promote and support children, family, teacher, and student causes, is working with several partner organizations to rebuild homes in Holt, Ala., a farming community just outside of Tuscaloosa. Nick's Kids Fund is currently in the process of building 13 homes for 13 national college football championships.

Since 1997, Caring Days Adult Day Care has provided services to enhance quality of life for individuals with memory disorders, their caregivers, and other related populations. In the 2011 tornadoes, many services for dependent adults in West Alabama were wiped out, creating an even greater need for the organization's services. Caring Days is currently in the process of building the new Mal & Charlotte Moore Center, named for University of Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore, whose beloved late wife, Charlotte, suffered from early onset Alzheimer's for nearly 20 years. The new center will allow Caring Days to expand their services to serve more clients in the Tuscaloosa area.

For sports fans, food lovers, and Tuscaloosa community members alike, this will be a festive, heartfelt day not to be missed. For more information, and to purchase tickets to the LouisiBama Gumbo Bowl, please visit http://gumbobowl2011.ticketbud.com/tornado-relief.