There are just a few slots left for cooking teams in the fourth annual Red Beans ‘n Rice Cookoff, set for Aug. 4 at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium.

“We’ve got 19 teams so far, and we can take about seven more,” said St. Tammany Fire District 1 Chief of Administration Chris Kaufmann.

Fire District 1 is co-hosting the event with St. Tammany’s Department of Fire Services. It serves as a kickoff to United Way’s parishwide campaign, and proceeds from the $6 a plate meal will go to benefit the various organizations served by the agency. Held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the lunchtime event will once again feature the wildly popular drive-through, which last year sold about 180 plates in less than two hours. Kaufmann’s team will cook the takeout beans and will field a team for the competition as well.

A number of new teams and sponsors are participating for the first time this year.

“We had a booth at the Chamber expo last month, and that was a great networking experience,” said Kaufmann. “There was such a positive response, it was just extremely beneficial.”

Judges for this year’s event will be St. Tammany Parish Schools Superintendent Gayle Sloan; Doug Mouton, WWL-TV; Randi Rousseau, WDSU-TV; State Rep. Greg Cromer; and Connelly Hayward, Camellia Beans. A surprise guest has also been named honorary chairperson.

DJ Dan will provide music, and cooking teams will provide desserts and raffle prizes. Attendees can also vote for their favorite booth.

Kaufmann is encouraging businesses to treat their employees to the celebration.

“It will be the best $6 you ever spent,” he said.

For more information regarding the Red Beans ‘n Rice Cook-off, contact Kaufmann at 646-4387 or St. Tammany Director of Fire Services John O’Neil at 264-2046.