Calling all Baldwin County chefs: Do you have what it takes to be crowned Alabama's Small Town Chef of the Year?

The Alabama Department of Tourism declared 2024 the Year of Alabama Foods, so Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns magazine created the Alabama's Small Town Chef of the Year competition.

The Alabama Gulf Coast may have lost the Alabama Seafood Cookoff title this year, but Baldwin County has an amazing pool of chefs who could take this title. Lucky for us, all of Baldwin County's towns meet the criteria of having a population of less than 40,000.

The competition is comprised of three rounds. In the first round, Eat With Your Eyes First, judging is based on the chef's online entry, which includes a photo of the dish and the chef's description of the dish. There are also three categories for a chef to enter: small plates, main dishes and desserts. There is no limit to the number of entries.

The judging panel for the first round consists of food stylists and bloggers who will narrow the field and select the chefs who will move on to the next round. Social media voting will determine a People's Choice that will also advance.

In round two, the Alabama Foodie Road Trip, a lucky panel of judges will visit each of the semifinalists for an in-person taste test of the chef's entry. The semifinalists can prepare up to three tasting samples of their food for judging.

Finalists will be invited to a Chef Showdown at the Auburn University Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center. The finalists will prepare two bites based on menu items from the chef's restaurant for 150 guests to sample. Guests will vote on their favorite dish, and the points will be added to the chef's overall score.

In the end, the winner will be crowned the Small Town Chef of the Year 2025.

"We hope to bring excitement and recognition to the small-town chefs and restaurants that locals always brag about and tourists can't miss when visiting our great state," Alabama Small Towns & Downtowns Co-Owner and Managing Editor Kelly Caldwell in a statement.

To learn more about the competition or to enter, visit www.alabamasmalltowns.com/smalltownchef. The deadline to enter the competition is July 1.