Death Valley Roux Rally kicks off Saturday

Jon Thorning wants to improve the lives of under-privileged children and teens in Baton Rouge. Around six months ago, he founded the nonprofit KIDS (Karing is Doing Something) for just that purpose.

KIDS has teamed up with Youth Oasis, a nonprofit that provides support services to runaway, abandoned and homeless youth, and Tin Roof Brewing Company for this weekend’s Death Valley Roux Rally Gumbeaux Cook-off. About 10 teams as of now will compete to show off their best chicken and sausage gumbos.

Proceeds will benefit Youth Oasis, and the event kicks off at 9 a.m. Saturday at the brewery, 1624 Wyoming St. Teams will be allowed to cook until 4 p.m., and samples will be handed out from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. This is the cook-off’s first year, and Thorning hopes the event will grow in the future.

“Our goal is to help raise awareness through this event and help facilitate Youth Oasis’ growth,” he says. “We’ll be taking applicants and teams until the day of the event. Our goal is to build this year after year…. In the future, we might have categories as well as chefs from restaurants and other participants competing.”

Admission is $10. Tin Roof will also host tours during the event at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. —Matthew Sigur