Chef Curtis Epps repeats as winner of Shrimp & Grits Cook-Off, takes home $1,000

Record crowds joined Bridges Prep’s sixth annual Block Party/Shrimp & Grits Cook-Off, and the clear first place winner by the people’s vote – for the second year in a row — was Chef Curtis Epps with Albergotti Grill in the Beaufort Holiday Inn Hotel on Boundary Street. His victory netted a $1,000 cash prize.

Second place and $500 went to Robert Wray with Cafe Roux of Bluffton, and Chef Sherri Green Whitmire of Rent-A-Chef took third place and $250.

“It was a fantastic day all around – thousands of people, great fun and fellowship, outstanding chefs cooking delicious shrimp and grits, and everyone seemed to have a blast in the beautiful weather,” said Amy Painton of the Bridges Prep PTO, which organized the event.

Proceeds from the event will help Bridges Prep buy an activity bus for athletics and field trips. The amount raised won’t be final until expenses are finalized later this month. Ameris Bank was the primary sponsor, having donated $3,000 to the event.

For Chef Epps, it was the thrill of competition for a good cause.

“I’m very proud of our team’s preparation, our recipe and our food,” Epps said. “The people were fantastic, everyone was smiling and having fun, and they didn’t mind waiting for a fresh batch since they could see us doing the cooking.

“On behalf of Albergotti Grill, we are thankful for the first place award, but more importantly, we are glad we could help Bridges Prep and the PTO,” he said.

The Block Party Shrimp and Grits Cook-off is the key fundraising event for the fast-growing and academically strong state charter school in Beaufort. In mid-2017, Bridges was named one of South Carolina’s top three charter schools for its academics and a School of Distinction by the South Carolina Public Charter School District.

“Putting this event together took our PTO and the volunteers hundreds of hours and lots of determination, but it really came together in a fantastic day for everyone,” said David Gault, chair of the Bridges Board and one of the chefs along with fellow board members Shawna Doran, Rebecca Polk, Joe Cooper and Tom Angelo.

Bridges faculty Debbie Cooper, Selma Davis and Whitney Slone joined the cooking fun as well.

Bridges Preparatory School, serving grades K-12 in 2019-2020, is open to all area students and there isn’t any tuition. Construction is underway on the permanent campus facility in Port Royal off Robert Smalls Parkway.

To learn more about Bridges Preparatory School, visit www.bridgesprep.org or call 843-982-7737.

Enjoy some fun photos of the day’s event here.