From a Tiny Town in Alabama to the Bright Lights of New York City, Chelsea Gieselmann Makes Her Mark
In March 2024, I was presented with a food competition idea by a Food Network producer and invited to fly to New York City for an audition. Little did I know, I wasn’t just auditioning, I was heading to NYC to compete. Chef Eddie Jackson dropped a bomb that shook my core, this wasn’t just any competition, I would be competing against the Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli on the set of Food Network’s Outchef’d. For those that don’t know who Chef Alex is, allow me to educate y’all. This woman is the pillar of Food Network and is fiercely driven. Folks fear her and the talent she exudes, which quite honestly, I am one of those folks. Chef Alex Guarnaschelli is the Julia Child of this era.
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind as I stood on stage beside one of my culinary idols. Chef Eddie lifted the lid to reveal seafood as the main ingredient. Being from Southeast Alabama, I luckily have grown accustomed to working with beautifully fresh ingredients from the Gulf. Instantly I zeroed in on the dish I intended to prepare for the judges, hoping that the Outchef’d pantry would have all the ingredients to make my Loaded Cajun Shrimp and Crab Grits. The pressure was on, 45 minutes on the clock, I shuffled through the pantries and refrigerators to obtain all my ingredients to begin my cooking.
I never realized how quickly 45 minutes could go by until competing on the Outchef’d stage. Being from such a small town in Alabama, we are programmed to take things a bit slower than the outside world. Low and slow is the name of our game and we live by it. However, in the ‘concrete jungle’ that mentality just won’t do. Before I knew it, the clock hit zero and I was waiting for the judges’ results.
Standing on the little ‘x’ on stage, I thought about how proud my great-grandmother would be of me win or lose. Thinking of her eased my nerves as Chef Eddie pulled out the first vote. Vote #1 went to Chef Alex and at this moment, I was truly at peace with not getting a single vote. My peace was short lived when Eddie pulled out not just one, but three votes with the word ‘Grits’ on them. This Wicksburg, Alabama gal defeated Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli 3-1. To celebrate this win for our little slice of the country, I have written up a rendition of the dish I created on Food Network and I truly hope y’all enjoy creating it as well.
Fried Grit Cakes, Bacon Fried Red Snapper & Shrimp Cajun Cream Sauce
Ingredients - Fried Grit Cakes
1 Cup Quick Grits
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Shredded Gouda Cheese
2 Tbs your favorite Cajun seasoning
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1-2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
1 Tsp Onion Powder
Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Directions - Fried Grit Cakes
-Heat a skillet over medium heat and add vegetable oil. Cook the grits cakes in batches, about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
-In a medium saucepan, bring stock and water to a boil. Stir in the quick grits and reduce the heat to low. Cook the grits according to package instructions, usually around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-Once the grits are cooked, remove them from the heat and stir in the shredded gouda cheese until it's melted and well combined. Season with Cajun seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste.
-Pour the cooked grits mixture into a greased baking dish or pan, spreading it out evenly. Allow it to cool and set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or freezer for 10-15 minutes, or until firm.
-Once the grits mixture has set, use a cookie cutter or knife to cut it into small cakes or squares.
Ingredients - Red Snapper
4 Red Snapper Filets
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
3-5 Tbs Bacon Grease
Directions - Red Snapper
-Pat the red snapper fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
-Heat the bacon grease in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it's shimmering but not smoking.
-Carefully place the red snapper fillets skin-side down in the skillet. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan; you may need to cook the fillets in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
-Cook the red snapper fillets for about 4-5 minutes on the skin side, without moving them, until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
-Gently flip the red snapper fillets using a spatula and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the flesh side, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
Ingredients - Shrimp
1 Lb Large Peeled and Deveined Gulf Shrimp
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
3-5 Tbs Bacon Grease
Directions - Shrimp
-Pat the Gulf shrimp dry with paper towels and season them lightly with salt and pepper.
-In a large iron skillet on medium-high add bacon grease. Allowing to heat until the grease is simmering, not smoking.
-Add the Gulf shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
-Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Making sure not to burn the garlic.
Ingredients - Cajun Cream Sauce
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tbs Unsalted Butter
3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Tbs Fresh Parsley (1/4 for plating)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
2 Tbs of your favorite Cajun seasoning
Directions - Cajun Cream Sauce
-In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
-Add the minced garlic to the saucepan and sauté for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
-Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning into the saucepan and stir to combine with the garlic and butter.
-Pour the heavy cream into the saucepan and stir well to incorporate the Cajun seasonings
-Bring the cream sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
-Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed, depending on your preference.
Written by: Chelsea Gieselmann
