LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing that he has nominated Executive Chef Payne Harding, owner of Cache restaurant in Little Rock, to represent Arkansas in the 20th Annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off on August 3, 2024, in New Orleans:

“Arkansas, with its abundance of quality ingredients and unique culinary traditions, has produced some of the best chefs around. I look forward to Chef Harding continuing the tradition of Arkansas chefs participating in this competition, which is hosted by my good friend Louisiana Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser.

“Chef Harding’s attention to detail—both in the running of Cache and his use of ingredients—has made his restaurant a ‘go-to’ place in Little Rock. I fully expect him to apply that same level of skill in this competition and help highlight the culinary excellence that Arkansas has to offer the nation.”

Harding opened Cache in 2014. He is a 2009 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas and a 2012 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He was also named a Certified Executive Chef by the American Culinary Federation in 2019.