By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The St. John United Way will take a page from its St. Charles Parish counterpart tomorrow evening when San Francisco Plantation will be the site of “St. John’s Top Chef: Cooking for a Cause.”

The event will pit teams of cooks from local businesses and industry as well as the private sector as they try to concoct the tastiest gumbos and jambalayas imaginable. St. John United Way Executive Director Dean Torres said the event was inspired by the Battle for the Paddle, the United Way of St. Charles’ annual cook-off fundraiser.

While the general concept may have been borrowed, the work involved in setting up such an event was all original.

“It’s our first endeavor into this particular arena, which makes for a lot of unknowns,” said Torres.

Luckily, the United Way got some help from local entities — Marathon, Nalco, Dupont, Cargill, the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John Parish President’s Office, Air Products, San Francisco Plantation, the Louisiana Federal Credit Union and Entergy — in funding and setting up the event.

Although the cooking and judging portion of the day will be over by the time guests arrive, all in attendance will be invited to taste the fruits of the various teams’ labors. Admission to the event, which lasts from 3:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. and is open to everyone, is $5, and that price entitles attendees to all the gumbo and jambalaya one can eat. Children 5 and under get in free.

Drinks and desserts will be available for an additional charge.

And if all the great food and is not enough of a draw, attendees will also get the chance to meet local celebrities for the popular television show “Swamp People.” The overall-clad Bruce Mitchell will be at the plantation tomorrow along with his dog, Tyler. Guests will have the opportunity to take a photo with the entertaining alligator hunters for a fee of $5. A photographer will not be on site, so guests are encouraged to bring their own cameras.

Although there is a chance of a scattered shower or two popping up tomorrow, Torres said the setting for tomorrow’s event could not be more ideal.

“It’s a great facility,” said Torres. “Plus, if we get blessed with a little shower, we can move into the barn.”

For the cooking portion of the day, teams will compete in either the jambalaya or gumbo category, and all cooking must be done on site. Meats are restricted to beef, chicken, turkey and pork. No seafood or wild game will be permitted. Judging will begin at 2:45 p.m.

With little more than bragging rights at stake, Torres hopes the public comes out to support the friendly competition, which benefits United Way charities.

“It should be fun, and you should be able to taste some good cooking,” said Torres. “It’s a community-building event.”