Early-Bird Pricing for the 2017 Gumbo Smackdown Ends Tomorrow

1Carlos Barrios, Marty Sexton, Lori Pinter, Jeramie Pinter, Sara Reynolds

Photographer: John Tran

2The Porch Executive Chef, Adam West

Photographer: John Tran

3Gumbo Judges: Rita Suchma, Megha Tejpal, Bun B, Ben McPherson, Katharine Shilcutt, and event emcees Diane Caplan and Nicole Vogel

Photographer John Tran

4Elizabeth Magee, Michael Preng

Photographer: John Tran

5Brian Aidoo, Perry Johnson, Valerie Hancock, Emily Smith, Katy Schawe, Skyler Schawe

Photographer: John Tran

6Tiffany Ho, Chris Farrokhnia, Nhi Farrokhnia, Daniel Ponstein, Linda Bien

Photographer: John Tran

7Eric and Allison Erdeljac

Photographer: John Tran

8Shawn Virene and the Brasserie 19 team

Photographer: John Tran

9Randie Lom, Jared Owen, Sarah Lom posing with the 2016 Volvo XC90 from Momentum Volvo

Photographer: John Tran

10Tiffany Ho, Chris Farrokhnia, Nhi Farrokhnia, Daniel Ponstein, Linda Bien

Photographer: John Tran

11Jamming with the Platinum Players

Photographer: John Tran

12Eric and Allison Erdeljac

Photographer: John Tran

13Chef Paul Friedman of Peli Peli

Photographer: John Tran

14Antonio and Cassandra Zamoralez

Photographer: John Tran

15Lacey Duncan, Matt Guzman, Maegan Clemens, Jeff Rassenfoss

Photographer: John Tran

16Randie Lom, Jared Owen, Sarah Lom posing with the 2016 Volvo XC90 from Momentum Volvo

Photographer: John Tran

17Chef Paul Friedman of Peli Peli

Photographer: John Tran

18Lacey Duncan, Matt Guzman, Maegan Clemens, Jeff Rassenfoss

Photographer: John Tran

19Main Kitchen serving up samples of their winning gumbo

Photographer: John Tran

20Ana Kulak, Westyn and Stevi Maytubby

Photographer: John Tran

21Xfinity booth

Photographer John Tran

22Buying raffle tickets to support the Sunshine Kids Foundation

Photographer: John Tran

23Russell Simms, Veronica Jones, Judith Logsdon, Kimberly Crawford

Photographer: John Tran

24Main Kitchen serving up samples of their winning gumbo

Photographer: John Tran

25Matthew Marget, Dustin Luse, Annie Janise, Victor Liu, Carmen Lopez, Erica Smith, Molly Mack, Sofia Nasr

Photographer: John Tran

26Bananas Foster Nachos from Freedom to Indulge Catering

Photographer: John Tran

27Judges' Choice winner, Holley's Seafood

Photographer: John Tran

28Matthew Marget, Dustin Luse, Annie Janise, Victor Liu, Carmen Lopez, Erica Smith, Molly Mack, Sofia Nasr

Photographer: John Tran

29Bananas Foster Nachos from Freedom to Indulge Catering

Photographer: John Tran

30Xfinity booth

Photographer John Tran

31Buying raffle tickets to support the Sunshine Kids Foundation

Photographer: John Tran

32People's Choice winner, Main Kitchen

Photographer: John Tran

33People's Choice winner, Main Kitchen

Photographer: John Tran

34Judges' Choice winner, Holley's Seafood

Photographer: John Tran

35Tobin Gelbs, Brett Kingsley, Orli Roth, Matt Holub

Photographer John Tran

36Best Table Decor winner Lisa Carney of The Cajun Stop

Photographer: John Tran

37Hannah Holmes, Molly Mead

Photographer John Tran

38Megha Tejpal, Priyanka Bhandari, Michael Bins, Karishma Sabharwal

Photographer: John Tran

39Houston Winery owners Jon and Edie Ann Burger

Photographer John Tran

40Matt Corcoran, Brandon Schempp, Taylor Saxon

Photographer: John Tran

41The scene at Gumbo Smackdown

Photographer John Tran

42Russell Simms, Veronica Jones, Judith Logsdon, Kimberly Crawford

Photographer: John Tran

43Raffle table, benefiting the Sunshine Kids Foundation

Photographer: John Tran

44Krystal Sexton, Colleen Smith

Photographer John Tran

45Mark Donaldson and his partner at SUNPRO Solar

Photographer: John Tran

46Houston Winery owners Jon and Edie Ann Burger

Photographer John Tran

47Stacy Cashiola, Marie Butler

Photographer: John Tran

48Hannah Holmes, Molly Mead

Photographer John Tran

49Shane Rasch, Lisa Such, Sophie Jones, Lauren Tilley, Matt Strickland, Madeleine Zofkie, Mike Rasch

Photographer: John Tran

50Tobin Gelbs, Brett Kingsley, Orli Roth, Matt Holub

Photographer John Tran

51Crowd enjoying themselves

Photographer: John Tran

52Jordan Brister, Michele Fox

Photographer John Tran

53Sara Vingiello, Joe Melugin

Photographer: John Tran

54Entering to win a Volvo for a weekend!

Photographer John Tran

55Entering to win a Volvo for a weekend!

Photographer John Tran

56Hadley and Scott Vogel

Photographer John Tran

57Ray and Linda Chavers, Donita and Gary Fleming

Photographer: John Tran

58Treebeards' Booth

Photographer John Tran

59Competing chefs come to the stage to be recognized

Photographer: John Tran

60Robin Boyette, Christie Fredieu, Kim and Chip Marosis

Photographer: John Tran

61The scene at Gumbo Smackdown

Photographer John Tran

62Krystal Sexton, Colleen Smith

Photographer John Tran

63Raffle table, benefiting the Sunshine Kids Foundation

Photographer: John Tran

64Treebeards' Booth

Photographer John Tran

65Mark Donaldson and his partner at SUNPRO Solar

Photographer: John Tran

66Spencer Lane, Jelle Vandenbroucke, and Kevin Pope from Main Kitchen

Photographer: John Tran

67Stacy Cashiola, Marie Butler

Photographer: John Tran

68Hadley and Scott Vogel

Photographer John Tran

69Shane Rasch, Lisa Such, Sophie Jones, Lauren Tilley, Matt Strickland, Madeleine Zofkie, Mike Rasch

Photographer: John Tran

70Matt Corcoran, Brandon Schempp, Taylor Saxon

Photographer: John Tran

71Crowd enjoying themselves

Photographer: John Tran

72Megha Tejpal, Priyanka Bhandari, Michael Bins, Karishma Sabharwal

Photographer: John Tran

73Sara Vingiello, Joe Melugin

Photographer: John Tran

74Jordan Brister, Michele Fox

Photographer John Tran

75Houstonia Publisher, Diane Caplan with the Platinum Players

Photographer: John Tran

76Ana Kulak, Westyn and Stevi Maytubby

Photographer: John Tran

77Spencer Lane, Jelle Vandenbroucke, and Kevin Pope from Main Kitchen

Photographer: John Tran

78Carlos Barrios, Marty Sexton, Lori Pinter, Jeramie Pinter, Sara Reynolds

Photographer: John Tran

79Ray and Linda Chavers, Donita and Gary Fleming

Photographer: John Tran

80Best Table Decor winner Lisa Carney of The Cajun Stop

Photographer: John Tran

81Robin Boyette, Christie Fredieu, Kim and Chip Marosis

Photographer: John Tran

82Houstonia Publisher, Diane Caplan with the Platinum Players

Photographer: John Tran

‹PREVNEXT›

There are three things you should know about Houstonia’s annual Gumbo Smackdown: One, it’s a blast. Two, this will be its fourth year and our largest Smackdown to date. Three, it has sold out ahead of time every single year (that’s our third annual Smackdown in the slideshow above) and will probably do the same this year.

That said, taking advantage of the early-bird pricing on our fourth annual Gumbo Smackdown seems like the smart thing to do. You can snag tickets to the event, which takes place on Saturday, February 11 at Sugar Land Town Square, for only $35—but you have to purchase them by tomorrow. As of December 30, prices go up to $40 per ticket.

So what does that ticket price get you? Unlimited food and drink from noon to 4 p.m., including, of course, all the gumbo you can eat from over a dozen of the city’s best restaurants. So far, that list includes Beaver’s, Bernie’s Burger Bus, The Burger Joint, Fish City Grill, Floyd’s Cajun Seafood, Main Kitchen, Peli Peli and Sugar Land Town Square’s very own The Rouxpour, defending its home turf.

As you eat your way through the competition, you’ll also be asked to vote for your favorite gumbo. The winner will be announced later in the afternoon, so stick around—though we’re sure the free-flowing Jack Daniels cocktails will help you stay put.