Jenz Trenz won first place in the Meanest youth gumbo cookoff held Saturday on Day 1 of the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff. 

The smell of delicious Cajun food wafted through downtown New Iberia Saturday as the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff made its return for the first time in two years.

The cookoff is one of New Iberia’s most popular festivals and returned after a year off due to COVID-19.

Although the main gumbo competition doesn’t get cooking until today, more than 60 teams still competed in a Meanest Beans competition along with a youth gumbo competition that happened later in the day.

The two-day event is organized by the Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce and many of the teams are organized by local businesses, making the cookoff a large community event.

“It’s been going great,” Chamber President Thomas Falgout said. “It’s a great crowd for a Saturday. We think Sunday will be even better.”

The day started with the Iberia On Tap 5K Roux Run that started in downtown New Iberia. The run was put on by Iberia On Tap and draws running enthusiasts from around the area to traverse the scenic route.

Shortly afterwards, the cookoff’s musical lineup lit up the Steamboat Warehouse Pavilion to the delight of event-goers who were able to pass a good time in a large crowd for the first time in a long time.

The lineup for the day included Cajun Company, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band and Full Circle.

The two competitions of the day were the Meanest Beans and Youth Gumbo cookoffs. Dishes like red beans and rice were served for the Meanest Beans competition, and local youngsters showed off their cooking skills competed in the youth cookoff.

Happening at the same time was the Cajun Creole Foodfest, which allowed teams to cook a wide variety of dishes like pastalaya for those attending the event Saturday.

The winners of the Meanest Beans were announced Saturday afternoon. First place went to Jenz Trenz, which was in its second year of competing in the Meanest Beans competition.

Jennifer Douet with Jenz Trenz said the team had run out of beans before the end of the day.

“When they came to bring the award, we told them ‘the kitchen’s closed!’” she said with a laugh. “We’re super excited.”

Later in the day, it was announced that Jenz Trenz was also the first place winner of the youth gumbo cookoff.

Douet said the achievement was a group effort, with every youngster pitching in to serve up the best gumbo of the day.

“It really was a group effort. They did their best,” Douet said.

The World Championship Gumbo Cookoff continues today with professional and amateur teams competing in a variety of gumbo categories.

Music includes Geno Delafose and the French Rockin’ Boogie from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by Swampland Revival from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Servings for gumbo begins at 11 a.m. Categories include seafood, chicken and sausage and melange.

Here is how teams placed in Saturday’s Meanest Beans competition at the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff:

1. Jenz Trenz
2. Leaning Oak Farm
3. M&A Safety

Here is how teams placed in Saturday’s Youth Gumbo cookoff competition at the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff:

1. Jenz Trenz
2. Super 1 Foods
3. Fuller Glass