Bistro V chef to represent state in seafood competition

Professional cooking competitions are known for their fast-paced, high-pressure atmosphere, and Chef Jeremy Downey thrives off it. 

But add his grandmother in the seat in front of him, surrounded by his mom, dad, aunts, uncles and an entire room of cousins and childhood friends, and the stakes get a little higher. 

The chef from Bistro V, at 521 Montgomery Highway in Vestavia Hills, recently was a first-time competitor in the fourth annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off, which happened to be held in Bayou La Batre — Downey’s hometown, as well as the seafood capital of the state — on June 13.

“I grew up in that community, and some of those people I hadn’t seen since I was 18,” he said. “My momma told them that I’d been cooking for a long time, but you know, they’d never seen me actually cook. I’d guess half the city of Bayou La Batre was there, just watching.”

Downey’s team, which included Bistro V Assistant Chef Matt Foust, was chosen to compete based on the description of the dish he would make at the competition. He then placed in the top four out of 50 teams in Alabama. 

Each chosen team was tasked with creating seven identical plates in an hour for the judges to score on subjects such as taste, general presentation, serving methods, creativity and practicality. 

Downey’s dish included seared cast-iron grouper with Royal Red mezcal ceviche, Benton’s smoked bacon, chayote squash, sweet onion, a little tomato and cilantro, all with a salsa verde sauce and finished with a Tempura crab-stuffed squash blossom.

Downey, who said his competition was really talented, was chosen as the winner.

“Everybody was really excited to win. It felt like a win for the whole bayou,” Downes said. “That was the best part to me: that the whole city where I’m from felt so good that a local guy won, you know.”

Downey’s grandmother was even given a serving of Downey’s award-winning dish. 

Competition judge John Smith, who is the executive chef for the state of Alabama and chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission, said Downey’s dish was “beautifully balanced and perfectly executed.”

“The Royal Red shrimp ceviche was one of the best I have ever had,” Smith said. “The dish was delicious and represents Alabama seafood very well.”  

The annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off each year gives Alabama chefs the opportunity to compete for a chance to represent the state at the national level.

In August, Downey’s team will compete in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans, as well as be an automatic qualifier for the 2018 World Food Championships at The Wharf in Orange Beach in November. 

Downey, who has been the chef and owner of Bistro V for the past eight years, said he has built the foundation of his restaurant on the combination of fresh produce from local farmers with fresh seafood on a monthly changing menu. Although he said they play with other styles such as Mediterranean and Southern food, they put “a heavy focus on seafood.”

“I’m really passionate about it. I love the components of all of it, all of the variety you can do with the different types of seafood, that’s a major focus of ours,” he said. “I love vegetables too, I love meat also, but seafood, seafood is my workhorse, menu-wise, and in life, too.”

See the menu for Bistro V at bistro-v.com.