Slidell – Chef Karlos Knott of The Cajun Saucer in Arnaudville is the 2025 King of Louisiana Seafood beating 11 other chefs to win the 18th Annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off presented by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. For the first time, the event took place on the Northshore in conjunction with the Tammany Taste of Summer event presented by Visit the Northshore.
To win the crown, Chef Knott prepared a dish he called “All Roads Lead to Arnaudville”, consisting of a Roman style pizza with butter poached Louisiana shrimp highlighting his creativity and the superior quality of the seafood that comes from Louisiana’s shorelines and vast waterways.
Chef Knott, a former U.S. Army Cavalry Scout, stationed in Mannheim, Germany, developed a passion for well-crafted beer during his nearly six years in Europe with his wife, Stephanie, and son, Cory. This experience inspired him to start a brewery back home in Louisiana. In 2009, the family founded Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville, crafting beers that harmonize with the cuisines and lifestyles of South Louisiana.
Following Louisiana’s legalization of restaurants within breweries in 2018, Karlos delved into the art of Neapolitan pizza-making in a woodfired oven. This culinary journey led to the creation of Cajun Saucer, a unique blend of Italianstyle pizza with Cajun and Creole flavors.
“I grew up in Cajun country so seafood is automatically special to me. But it reminds me of growing up because we’d have seafood on all special occasions. You can have meat every other day, but seafood just means special occasions to me,” said Chef Knott.
“It’s still hasn’t sunk in that I was able to win this competition with the amazing chefs here this evening. I found myself looking around to see who won and then suddenly I realized it was me! This is amazing!”
“Every year it gets bigger and the competition gets tougher.
“We have more and more chefs that want to participate and wear the crown as the King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood. This year’s competition was no different,” said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser.
“After seeing all the amazing dishes prepared tonight, I am looking forward to a Louisiana reclaiming the title King of American Seafood when we are represented by Chef Karlos Knott in New Orleans in August.”
The first duty for the 2025 King of Louisiana Seafood Chef Knott is to prepare to represent the state in the 21st Annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on Saturday, August 2. Additionally, Chef Knott will serve as a Louisiana Ambassador for seafood for the next year promoting all the great dishes in our state that will Feed Your Soul.
Closely behind Chef Knott in second place was Chef Chase Raley of Parish Restaurant and Bar in Monroe. And, coming in third place was Chef Trenten Oliphant of Benteaux Cajun-Asian Fusion in Hammond.
