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La. firefighter wins PBS ‘Great American Recipe’ cooking contest

Lafayette Fire Capt. and Navy veteran Coby Bailey won Season 4 of “The Great American Recipe” with cornbread-stuffed chicken over grits and firehouse cobbler

By Will Nickel
The Advocate

LAFAYETTE, La. — Lafayette fire captain Coby Bailey beat out two other home chefs to win The Great American Recipe” on Friday.

The contestants cooked an entree, side and dessert in the finale. Bailey made cornbread-stuffed chicken over grits with andouille cream sauce and a side of coleslaw and potatoes for his entree and firehouse cobbler for dessert.

| MORE: 9 cookbooks by first responders to spice up your shift meals

“I’ve learned so much, and I represented Louisiana. I represented the Cajuns,” Bailey said during the Season 4 finale. “I think everybody back home is going to be extremely proud of me.”

Bailey is a U.S. Navy veteran and has worked for the Lafayette Fire Department for years. He also makes " Captain Coby,” a line of Cajun seasoning.

He leaned on his Louisiana roots throughout the show to impress the judges.

“I’m glad I won it for Louisiana ,” Bailey said after winning the competition.

“The Great American Recipe features home chefs from across the country and explores the way their backgrounds impact their recipes and cooking styles.

What is your go-to firehouse recipe?

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