MEDIA ADVISORY: Four Chefs to Compete at the Battle of the Bay: Blue Catfish Cook-Off at the Maryland State Fair

ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 31, 2026)—The Maryland Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Lottery and Maryland State Fair, is taking on the Chesapeake Bay’s wild-caught blue catfish problem by offering a cash prize to the chef that can turn it into the tastiest dish! While highly invasive, the fish is high in nutritious value and offers a tasty, white, flaky meat that is versatile in cooking. 

Fair attendees are welcome to help determine the winner by tasting all four dishes at the Maryland State Fair on Saturday, September 5 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. ET. Participants will receive free recipe cards for each dish and a coupon to shop for wild-caught blue catfish at Redner’s Market locations throughout Maryland. The first-place winner will receive $1,000, a Maryland’s Best chef coat, trophy and blue catfish hat! Thank you to Reliant Fish Company for donating the wild-caught blue catfish for the competition!

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WHO:

• Deputy Secretary Steve Connelly, Maryland Department of Agriculture
• Secretary Josh Kurtz, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (invited)
• Executive Chef Rasheed Abdurrahman, Food and Friends
• Chef Elais Avendano, Catahoula
• Chef Sara Kephart, Sara Kep’s Kitchen
• Executive Chef Zack Trabbold, Evolved Hospitality/The Local 

WHEN:

• Saturday, September 5, 2026 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. ET

WHERE:

• Maryland State Fair – Free Stage Area by the Mosner Miller Building
• 2200 York Road
• Timonium, MD 21093

RSVP:

• Interested media should RSVP to Director of Marketing Initiatives, Kristin Hanna at [email protected] or (410) 991-3968.

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