Everett wowed three celebrity judges at the event with her entry, and will represent Alaska in the Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans in August.

Everett, a 2000 graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage culinary arts program, is the executive chef at Settlers Bay Lodge, on Knik Goose Bay Road, outside of Wasilla. She worked at restaurants in New Orleans and New Mexico, and traveled abroad in pursuit of a diverse culinary education before returning to Alaska to be the executive chef for The Marx Brothers Café at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. She moved last year to her current position at Settlers Bay.

The event, sponsored by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, also drew four other popular Alaska seafood chefs: David Moorehead of the Baranof Hotel in Juneau, Joel Chenet of Mill Bay Coffee and Pastry in Kodiak, Patrick Hoogerhyde of Orso in Anchorage, and James Adkison of Sacks Café and Restaurant in Anchorage.

Each chef fully prepared specialty seafood dishes in a large conference room at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, while guests watched them cook and sampled seafood appetizers.

The idea for the seafood cook-off came from Kevin Adams, a member of the ASMI board. Adams, one of a number of people in the fisheries industry who attended, said he wanted to give every new and upcoming chef in Alaska a chance to represent the state in national seafood competition.

"It's a celebration of how far we have come in the fishing industry," said state commerce commissioner Bill Noll, who presented the first-place award to the stunned Everett. "Markets are wide open for us all over the world now."

Adkinson placed second in the competition with his Sacks marinated and grilled salmon on a deconstructed spring roll with wasabi aioli, soy-maple drizzle and herb oil.

Guests at the event watched and applauded each of the chefs as they finished cooking and hurried off to the judges with their entries.

The judges, prominent executive chefs and restaurant owners themselves, included John Besh of Restaurant August in New Orleans, Randy Lewis of Matanzas Creek in Sonoma, Calif., and Robert Wiedmaier of Marcels in Washington, D.C.

ASMI, a state marketing organization whose mission is to increase the economic value of Alaska seafood, spent approximately $50,000 on all event-related expenses, said Laura Fleming, marketing director.