Chef Paul Prudhomme changed the American food world forever with his creative, exuberant love for Creole and Cajun food. He was the first American chef to take the reins at Commander's Palace — where the world first had a taste of his culinary genius. He pioneered the now commonplace farm-to-table movement, as he championed Louisiana's farmers and fishermen. As Ella Brennan said, “He had magic in his hands.”
Read MoreAs we reach the end of 2015, we're taking a look back at the triumphs and tragedies of the year past.
2015 was a big year for Louisiana Eats! This June, we celebrated our fifth anniversary on the air, with listeners and friends including the NPR affiliates WWNO, WRKF, KRVS and Red River Radio. We found ourselves traveling across the state, the country and the world, covering topics ranging from substance abuse in the service industry, revelry and tradition at the annual Blackpot Festival in Lafayette, ghosts in the attic at Tujague's Restaurant, seafood innovation on the Gulf Coast and the domestic slave trade in America.
Read MoreOn this week's Louisiana Eats!, we examine the lives of five different individuals who have taken long, adventurous journeys, both personally and physically, to reach maturity and a clear sense of purpose.
We begin with a conversation with Zdenek Kastanek, a self-styled "spirits evangelist" for Proof & Company, an elite distribution business that is helping to shape the pre-eminent cocktail bars of Singapore. Zdenek explains how his odyssey to become a master of cocktails took him from a small town in the Czech Republic to a transient life working in some of the most glamorous watering holes across the globe.
Read MoreOn this week's show, we celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of lights, a time when families gather to light the menorah, exchange gifts and feast on traditional foods.
First, we share stories with Rabbi Ed Cohn of Temple Sinai, the spiritual leader of the largest synagogue in Louisiana. Rabbi Cohn tell us about his tenure at Temple Sinai and his favorite Hanukkah food memories.
Read Moret's the holiday season in Louisiana—a time to eat, drink and be merry!
On this week's Louisiana Eats! we're getting ready for the season by planning the ultimate holiday cocktail party. Master mixologist Adam Seger tells us about his craft of pairing cocktails with art and culinary innovations. We also get a chance to taste his newest creation Balsam Amaro — a versatile vermouth unlike any you've ever had.
Read MoreThis week on Louisiana Eats!, we gather around the table to delve into Thanksgiving traditions old and new. We hear about an unlikely culinary partnership between cookbook author Brandon Schultz and his cat, Lucy Schultz-Osenlund, who collaborated on a cookbook called Cooking for Two: Your Cat & You, a collection of recipes that will appeal to both man and man's best feline friend. Brandon tells us how he and Lucy celebrate something we're calling Catsgiving.
Read MoreOn this week's Louisiana Eats! we venture down to Grand Isle to explore the current state of Louisiana's shellfish industry.We begin with a visit with the Guerreros family, owners of the Caminada Bay Premium Oyster Company, who are leading the way in new product with Louisiana's first farm-raised oysters. Marcos and Boris Guerrero take us on their compact bay boat to give us a first-hand look at their off-bottom cage system method that creates an entirely new oyster that lives its life without ever touching the muddy bottom.
Read MoreIt's that time of year, when the cemeteries of Louisiana come alive and the streets are haunted by tethered spirits.
On this week's Louisiana Eats!, we celebrate All Hallows' Eve by time traveling through the storied tombs of St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 with photographer and historian Sally Asher. Sally takes us through the grave sites of our dearly departed culinary legends, and we hear some spooky stories along the way.
Read MoreOn this week's Louisiana Eats!, we join Chef John Besh in the Rouse’s Culinary Innovation Center, located at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, for a lesson in cooking up some oyster stew. We also talk about John's newly released book, Besh Big Easy, which focuses on traditional dishes that he believes are disappearing from Louisiana dinner tables.
Read MoreThere are few businesses harder to succeed in than the restaurant business. On this week's show, we hear some of America's greatest success stories from the hospitality world.
Read MoreSince 1986, Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley has gathered together a small group of chefs, journalists and food enthusiasts for an intensive four-day seminar at the American Harvest Workshop. Recently, the Louisiana Eats! team was invited to participate, so we've brought back some of our favorite stories from the West Coast.
Read MoreRecently, Louisiana Eats! host Poppy Tooker packed up her recording equipment, bid a cheery adieu to her company of sound engineers and went rogue to make Louisiana Eats! radio in France. On this week's episode, we share Poppy's incredible experience abroad.
Read MoreThe food scene of New Orleans has grown tremendously since Hurricane Katrina. On this week's Louisiana Eats!, we complete our two-part series on the storm by taking a look at the changing face of the city's food scene over the past 10 years.
Read MoreAs the 10th anniversary of the storm approaches, the echoes of Hurricane Katrina and resulting levee failures continue to affect individuals and businesses within the food industry. On this week's Louisiana Eats!, we begin our two-part series on the storm with stories about the aftermath of Katrina on local bars, restaurants and facilities; and learn how the community has come back in a big way.
Read MoreOn this week's Louisiana Eats!, we set out to discover hot spots both literally and figuratively in our backyard.
Read MoreOn this week's episode of Louisiana Eats!, we visit two Gulf Coast farms where, through collaboration and innovation, farmers are creating better products that will help preserve the environment and give back to the community.
Read MoreFor some, Louisiana summers mean oppressive heat and thick humidity. For others, it means backyard barbecues and ice cold cocktails! On this week's Louisiana Eats!, we bask in the sunshine as we look at locally produced rum, outdoor grilling, and the recent resurgence of interest Tiki cocktails.
Read MorePop-up restaurants have been becoming increasingly popular all over Louisiana. These nomadic entrepreneurs move into bars and restaurants, often serving delicious, unconventional food for armies of devoted diners. To find out more about these indie bands of the restaurant world, we go to the source, speaking with some of the newest and most exciting pop-ups in New Orleans at the 2015 Propeller Pop event.
Read MoreThis week on Louisiana Eats!, we go behind the scenes at the biggest annual cocktail gathering in the world, Tales of the Cocktail.
We begin with Mr. Cocktail himself, Paul Tuennerman, husband of the visionary leader and founder of Tales, Ann Tuennerman. Mr. Cocktail spills the beans on what life is like as the husband of the powerhouse who is Mrs. Cocktail.
Then, legendary Las Vegas barte
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