2017 Krewe de Gumbo Emcee
John "Spud" McConnell
Emcee John ‘Spud’ McConnell, a professional actor, performer and voice talent for more than 40 years, has appeared in over 70 films and TV shows. Spud has been on stage, back stage, on air, on camera, in film, documentaries, industrials, sitcoms and dramas. A man of many talents, and faces, you know him as the ‘Kingfish’, Ignatius J. Reilly and more. Spud is an actor, raconteur, sometime provocateur and always entertaining.
2017 Krewe de Gumbo Judges
Judy Walker
Chief Judge Judy Walker retired from daily journalism in 2015 after 38 years at three newspapers. She is the author and co-author of "Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune," which was nominated for a James Beard award, and eight other cookbooks. When she is not writing her freelance cooking columns, she creates quilts and puts glitter on shoes.
Susan Ford
Susan Ford, a returning judge, is President and Publisher of Louisiana Kitchen and Culture Magazine, a national publication filled with recipes and suggestions from Louisiana’s home cooks, restaurateurs, and professional chefs. A Mississippi native and New Orleans resident, Susan comes from a long line of great Southern cooks and says chefs are one of her favorite kinds of people in the world.
Lorin Gaudin
Lorin Gaudin, is New Orleans’ Food Goddess and the writer/editor at FiveOhFork, New Orleans culinary social media management for chefs, restaurants and the food and beverage industry. With a passion for all things food and drink, Lorin contributes to national, regional and local print and broadcast media including: The New York Post, Culinary Concierge, Where Magazine, and Where Y'at Magazine. Lorin typically has a cocktail is in her hand when a Po-Boy isn't.
Alfred Richard
Alfred Richard by day is Orleans Parish School Board’s hard-working, mild-mannered communications specialist and voice of High School Football. But on nights and weekends, he’s at a movie theater, chomping popcorn and watching the latest Big Screen releases for his riveting reviews on WWL-TV, or maybe limbering up for some daring dancing. Alfred is one of those ‘ordinary men with extraordinary moves’. Better known as the 610 Stompers’ ‘Chocolate Thunder,’ he has strutted his stuff in two Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades.
Bob Kimbro
Bob Kimbro is United Way of Southeast Louisiana’s 2016-17 Campaign Chair. When not busy asking business leaders to support United Way and our goal to eradicate poverty, Bob wears his Office Managing Partner for EY Louisiana hat. Over his 35-year career at one of the "Big Four" accounting firms, Bob has served as the audit partner on more than 20 SEC registrants. As a native Louisianan, Bob says supporting EY and community programs is a top priority.
Morgan Ford
Born in the Big Easy, but unable to claim a local high school as her alma mater, Morgan Ford embraces her pseudo-hometown in her role as the Yelp New Orleans Community Manager. On any given day, she’s knee-deep in community marketing initiatives that span social networking, marketing, educating, and entertaining for Yelp.com, an online search and review site and mobile app with millions of active users worldwide. When she's not enjoying her job, you can find her in a cuddle puddle with her two wiener dogs or crashing a crawfish boil.
Get your tickets now or learn more about our 2017 Gumbo Cook-off!