Beast Feast 2018: Surf, Turf, and More! raises over $26,000 for Centenary
SHREVEPORT, LA — The Centenary Alumni Association’s unique fundraiser, “Beast Feast: Surf, Turf, and More!,” returned for its second year May 19 and raised over $26,500 for the Centenary Fund for Student Scholarships. The festival-style culinary event added new elements in its second year and increased its fundraising total by more than $8,000 over the inaugural event in May 2017.
“We are completely overwhelmed by the response to Beast Feast 2018: Surf, Turf, and More!,” says Saige Solomon, director of alumni and family relations at Centenary. “Not only did we increase our overall fundraising goal, but we also increased our number of cook teams and our total attendees. We believe Beast Feast will continue to grow and become a landmark event for the Centenary community and beyond. Save the date for Beast Feast 2019 on Saturday, May 18, 2019!”
Local band Shayliff entertained more than 500 attendees as they visited 20 food tents to sample dishes ranging from vegan barbecue and mac and cheese to Louisiana favorites, especially the catfish, crawfish, and shrimp donated by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. The Cosse Silmon Kid Zone’s kid-friendly food and inflatables – a new addition this year – were a big hit with the younger crowd.
All attendees received one voting token to deposit at their favorite food tent, and voting for the “Best of Beast Feast 2018” award was ongoing throughout the afternoon. The “Best of Beast Feast 2018” award went to the fried catfish prepared by chefs John May and Alan Davidson, representing the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Several Centenary community members participated as chefs, and many of their culinary contributions were among the most popular of the afternoon. President Christopher Holoman brought back his traditional North Carolina “pig pickin’” and won fifth place overall in the voting. Police chief Eddie Walker, whose grilling skills are well known to Centenary students, earned a tie for fourth place with his stuffed pork tenderloin and chicken breasts from Bergeron’s and sausage and boudin from Down Home Meats. The College’s Sodexo food service served up “The 3 Series” – spicy sausage chowder with kale, a “nutty sloppy joe,” and bacon streusel cream cheese cupcakes – and finished in a tie for third place.
Beast Feast 2019: Surf, Turf, and More! will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2019. Chefs and cook teams interested in participating in Beast Feast 2019 should contact Saige Solomon at ssolomon@centenary.edu or 318.869.5115.
A photo gallery from the 2018 event is available here.
2018 Participants and Menu Items
Milbar Hydro-Test, Inc.
Chefs: Robert Jackson and Drew Meeder
Boiled crawfish*
Marissa Brown Personal Chef Service
Chef: Marissa Brown
Smoked trout dip
John Odom
Chefs: John Odom and Peter Moncrief
Upland Jambalaya
Dream Hunt Foundation
Chef: Paul Thomason
Smoked “Buzzard” Wings
Stone Forks Restaurant
Chef: James Ballard
Stone Forks Shrimp & Grits
PACE
Chef: Boz Baucum
Cajun Pasta*
Ragan Casian
Chef: Edward Ragan
Szechuan Duck & Lop Cheung Sausage Gumbo
Centenary College
Chef: Chris Holoman, President
North Carolina Pig Pickin'
Centenary College Department of Public Safety
Chef: Centenary Police Chief Eddie Walker
Bergeron's Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and Chicken Breasts, Down Home Sausage and Boudi
Sodexo Food Service
The 3 Series: Spicy Sausage Chowder with Kale, The Nutty Sloppy Joe, Bacon Streusel Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Michael Woolbert, DDS
Chef: Mike Woolbert
Wild Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya
Well+Fed Louisiana
Chef: Lindsi Martin
Vegan BBQ & Potato Salad
Whole Foods & Eat Fit
Chef: Savanna Latimer & Phyllis Brunt
Vegan Mac & Cheese
The Levee
Chef: Brandon Fail
Thai Shrimp with Red Curry & Quinoa*
Tyler Williams, Financial Advisor for Edward Jones
Chef: Tyler Williams
Pepper Jelly Glazed Pork Loins
Don Juanz Baja Beach Tacos
Chef: Chef Reinaldo
Ceviche Todos Santos*
Fat Calf Boucherie & LA Food Prize
Chef: Anthony Felan
Shrimp & Grits*
Benjamin M. Kacos, D.M.D.
Chef: Ben Kacos
Duck Tacos
Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office
Chefs: John May & Alan Davidson
Fried Catfish*
Look in the Mirror Foundation
Chef: Sam Lees
Boiled Shrimp*
*Seafood provided by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Louisiana Seafood Board.