Protein is the latest buzz word in diets. One way to change up the “regular” chicken, meat and seafood is through hunting and fishing.

Kenneth Fry, an outdoor skills specialist, showed off Blackened Walleye with White Cheddar Grits and Creole Sauce earlier this month at the Great American Recipe event at Carter Historic Farm. The Ohio Division of Wildlife was a partner with WBGU-PBS for the event. The event coincided with the launch of the new PBS cooking competition series “The Great American Recipe,” which premieres Friday. WBGU-PBS viewers can watch on air or live stream for free at wbgu.org.

“We wanted to showcase how delicious wild game and fish can taste,” Fry said. “Hunting and fishing can be a great way to add proteins to the dinner table.”

A dinner out near Lake Erie led to Fry’s creating the walleye dish.

“My wife ordered a similar dish from a restaurant in Port Clinton and I tried it. The flavor profile was amazing,” he said. “I told her we need to try this with walleye. After a couple attempts, I dialed the recipe in and it is a family favorite.”

Fry has a tip for those who turned their nose up at a fish dish.

“If you don’t like the ‘fishy’ taste, try ‘zippering’ your walleye. Simply make two small incisions at the end of the fillet along the pink bone line that runs through the center of the fish. Then, gently pull the fillet apart, and discard the bone line. This will make the walleye taste less fishy and get rid of tiny bones,” he said. “The Creole sauce really makes the dish.”

Fry, who is based out of the Ohio Division of Wildlife District 3 Office in Akron, brought the wildlife office’s mobile kitchen to the Bowling Green program.

“It’s a newer endeavor and we currently only have one built for the whole state. It has been very popular and has been traveling the whole state.”

Fry grew up cooking and has always had a passion for it.

“I have learned to cook from a variety of people. My dad was always cooking and bringing people together with his food,” he said. “I never pass on an opportunity to cook with someone new and learn new techniques.”

He gets his recipes from a variety of sources.

“I draw my inspiration for recipes from family and friends, restaurants, cooking shows — and I am a little old school and I love old cookbooks.”

Fishing is nothing new for Fry, but he knows that isn’t the case for everyone.

“I love fishing. I have fished my whole life. I grew up in a family that fished,” he said. “But the Ohio Division of Wildlife recognizes that not everyone grew up in that kind of environment — but they may have an interest in learning how to get started.

“We have programs and partner with groups throughout the state to help introduce people to hunting and fishing.”