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RAND MARAIS — Eleven teams tested their culinary skills at Mon Ami in Grand Marais throughout the day Saturday during the Southern Soul Food Cookoff.

The cookoff in Grand Marais, now in its seventh year, has been a traditionally fun way for the Grand Marais Mardi Gras Association to raise funds for the Fat Tuesday event.

“This is our seventh showdown,” organizer Tina Olivier said Saturday. “The cookoff is made to fund our parade that we’ve been doing since 1980 for Mardi Gras.”

Along with the cooking, there was music and dancing in a large area for event-goers out to enjoy themselves on a pleasant fall day. The family-friendly event is just one of many that the association organizes to prepare for the Mardi Gras holiday.

The association collects an entry fee for competing and teams and sells drinks, while the vendors sell their food as well. The vast majority of those attending the event are part of the Grand Marais community, which Olivier said is extremely close knit.

“We charge the fee and sell the drinks, and they make the food to sell,” Olivier said. “It helps them raise money to get their costumes together and it helps us to run the parade.”

The cookoff is divided into professional and amateur, with categories including Best Greens, Best Meat, Rice and Gravy, Best Open Dish, Best Decorated Booth and Best Sweets.

Team A’Maries came out the big winner for the day in the professional division, placing first in Best Greens and Best Meat, Rice and Gravy and Best Open Dish in the professional division. Team Wu Tang took home the best sweets category with a praline candy.

There was an upbeat element of fun and family mixed in with the competition aspect of the cookoff. Teams like Unkown Krewe were working since the morning to get all of their food prepared for the event.

“It’s never just one person. It’s a team effort,” Unknown Krewe team member Jordan Grogan said, talking about his win for the cookoff.

SOUL FOOD COOKOFF RESULTS

• Professional

Best Greens: Cabbage rolls by A’Maries (Roman, Crissy and Olivia Wesley)

Best Meat, Rice and Gravy: Rouladens by A’Maries

Best Open Dish: Corn and crab bisque by A’Maries

Best Decorated Booth: Boog/Cleco with Dexter Olivier, Eldridge Little and Keto Raggette.

Best Sweets: Praline candy from Wu Tang made by Juanita Sigue.

• Amateur

Best Greens: Mustard greens by A-Team with Kenneth Olivier and crew.

Best Fried: Fried fish by Unknown Krewe led by Stanley Olivier and Jordan Grogan.

Best Meat, Rice and Gravy: Beef, sausage and gravy by Wu Tang led by Jay Sigue.

Best Pork Delicacy: Pigs feet and turkey necks by Herman and One Monster, led by Herman Broussard and Ricky Olivier.

• Open Dish

First Place: Chicken and sausage etoufee by A-Team led by Kenneth Olivier.

Second Place: Smoked turkey rolls by Herman and One Monster.

Third Place: Red beans and rice by Boozoo and Crew led by Casey Broussard.