Louisiana Eats

Japan may once have seemed like a world away, but the most delicious elements of Japanese food and drink culture have become increasingly embedded in our American psyche. On this week's show, we celebrate the complexity and craftsmanship of Japanese drinking culture. We begin with Christopher Pellegrini, longtime homebrewer, Honkaku Spirits founder, and author of The Shochu Handbook. Originally fr...

From crumbly cornbread that perfectly compliments a home-cooked meal, to warm cookies that can make you forget any problem, baked treats are key to happy eaters everywhere. This week, we celebrate the delicious half-science, half-art that is baking! First, we hear from our old friend, food writer Anne Byrn. Her latest cookbook, Baking in the American South, is a beautifully photographed tome, feat...

It's been a long, hot summer, but fall has finally arrived in Louisiana! As temperatures and humidity go down, the Bayou State comes alive with a colorful array of autumn events and festivals. On this week's show, we enjoy a taste of fall. We begin on the Northshore, where the annual Abita Fall Fest is about to kick off, bringing national acts and local artists to the quaint town of Abita Springs....

For those in the hospitality industry, there are few honors more prestigious than winning a James Beard Award. This year, New Orleanians were thrilled when the Beard Foundation named the Big Easy's Dakar NOLA Best New Restaurant in America. Those familiar with Chef Serigne Mbaye's original take on his native Senegalese cuisine were not surprised. On this week's show, we celebrate the local 2024 wi...

In 1946, a New Orleans bar owner named Owen Brennan opened Brennan's Vieux Carre on Bourbon Street. Fresh out of high school, his sister Ella became his de facto manager there. Just before Owen's untimely death a few years later, plans were in place to move the restaurant to Royal Street, where the Brennan family dynasty truly began. Today, Brennan's Restaurant on Royal Street is grander than ever...

John Kennedy Toole's novel A Confederacy of Dunces is internationally revered for having captured the essence and eccentricity of New Orleans — and for introducing readers to its larger-than-life protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly. On this week's show, we take a culinary look between the pages of the book that was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1981. We begin with Spud McConne...

Less than an hour's drive from New Orleans' French Quarter, Baton Rouge, and Mississippi's Gulf Coast is Lake Pontchartrain's Northshore. The charming towns of Madisonville, Mandeville, and Abita Springs are filled with hospitality and delicious dining opportunities. On this week's show, we cross the Causeway to visit our Northshore neighbors. We begin at the Covington Farmers Market, which is wid...

Although South Louisiana does not provide the easiest growing conditions, when fueled by passion and obsession, it's amazing what can be done. On this week's show, we introduce you to some real alternative thinkers who are successfully cultivating the unusual and the exotic. We begin with a trip to the SG Tiki Farm just across the state line in Pearlington, Mississippi. There, Chef Ernie Foundas g...

Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food." That line is just as true today as it was when the Greek physician said it 2,500 years ago. We know we are what we eat and drink, yet we don’t always consume what's best for our bodies, minds, or souls. On this week's show, we gather together three experts to examine the impact our diets, our cravings, and mental health have o...

As summer nears its end and thoughts turn towards back-to-school, we're having one last adventure – a tour through the rich and diverse offerings of New Orleans' Asian cuisine scene. First, we hear from Thuy Pham, founder of the NOLA Nite Market, an evening bazaar featuring a plethora of authentic Asian street foods created by small mom and pop restaurants, complete with live music and artisan war...

In today’s society, meat often gets a bad rap. But this week, we speak with three people who find great beauty in the art of the butcher, the finger-licking taste of barbecue, and even the usefulness of wild hogs. First, Chef Matt Moore chats about his latest cookbook, Butcher on the Block, which is chock full of over 125 recipes for grilling and barbecue. The volume also offers a butchering prime...

When the 2018 Federal Farm Bill was signed into law, repealing the nation's 82-year prohibition on hemp, Louisiana's legislature rapidly opened the door for a booming new industry here in our state. In just a few years, the hemp industry has grown to represent over $33 million in state commerce annually. On this week's show, we explore this fibrous cannabis plant and meet the people who are extrac...

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games are officially underway. Athletes from more than 200 countries are gathered in Paris, looking to bring home the gold in everything from archery to water polo. On this week’s show, we raise a glass to international camaraderie by sampling spirits from across the globe. Is there a bottle of jenever in your bar at home? Unless you’re from the Netherlands – that might not...

In 1983, the Louisiana legislature named crawfish as the official state crustacean. In 2008, they proclaimed the Sazerac as New Orleans' official cocktail. And on June 1, 2024, Billy Nungesser, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, proclaimed Blue Plate Mayonnaise to be the official mayo of poor boy sandwiches. On this week's show, we explore some other essential poor boy ingredients. We begin with th...

Between the levee and the Mississippi River is the batture – a lively slip of wilderness that a tiny community calls home. There's batture land right here in the midst of metropolitan New Orleans – but unless you're lucky enough to know a batture dweller, there's a good chance you weren't aware of one of the city’s most unconventional neighborhoods. That was certainly true of Macon Fry when he arr...

What do a group of Buddhist monks, a New Orleans-based Chinese bakery, and a non-profit that educates young girls in Nepal all have in common? Why, dumplings, of course! This week, we explore three groups of people who are doing their best to make their mark on the world and the role that dumplings play in each of their stories. First, local chef Angela Wilson tells us about Empower Nepali Girls,...

Since ancient times, the Eastern Mediterranean has been one of the most significant regions in the world. Sitting at the crossroads of trade routes, the area – which, broadly defined, includes Israel, Syria, Greece, and Turkey – has long been a melting pot of cultures and culinary influences. On this week's show, we meet local restaurateurs who are showcasing the rich heritage of the region and le...

In the culinary world, there are many different roads to success. Some are longer and more winding than others. On this week's show, we speak with chefs who have traveled far – literally and figuratively – to find career fulfillment in New Orleans. We begin with Nina Compton of Compére Lapin and Bywater American Bistro, the first Black female chef to receive the coveted James Beard "Best Chef" nod...

Fine china and crystal, earthenware and artisan glassware – it doesn’t matter what you have – it can all be transformed into a personal expression of your welcoming hospitality. On this week's show, we speak with some of the nation's finest tableware experts for an education and some inspiration. First, we chat with Susan Gravely, founder of Vietri, the lifestyle company that has brightened Americ...

It's June in Louisiana, which means the start of summer – and sweltering heat! Fortunately, there's plenty of cultural experiences to enjoy while keeping cool indoors. On this week's show, we learn about three immersive exhibits to explore in the Crescent City. We begin with the newest, which celebrates the life and art of one the founding fathers of French Impressionism. Claude Monet: The Immersi...

New Orleans began her love affair with coffee three centuries ago. Any local of a certain age can remember the grown-ups of their childhood spending hours around the kitchen table drinking a strong French roast blended with chicory. This week we sit down with a cup of coffee and some folks who can tell us the story of coffee in New Orleans. First, Patrick Brennan, of the famous Brennan restaurant...

Summertime is upon us – a time that often means travel, vacation fun, and family reunions. But to many Louisianians, summertime means hunger – and our children are the most vulnerable. When school is in session, breakfast and lunch are provided five days a week, but without extra support in the summer, that equates to missing 40 meals a month. Luckily, here in New Orleans, some big-hearted hospita...

Whether it's the most elegant wedding reception or a simple family birthday party, no celebration is complete without a cake. On this week's show, we explore this delicious dessert in all its glory. First, we sit down with Charlotte McGehee, the alter ego of Debbie Does Doberge, to find out how she's given the traditional New Orleans doberge cake a 21st century makeover. Next, James Beard Award–wi...

On this week's Louisiana Eats, we're traveling down south to Argentina! Late last year, host Poppy Tooker made the long trek to Buenos Aires, where she discovered a cosmopolitan city that sometimes felt like Paris and sometimes seemed like Manhattan. We begin with a tour of the city's San Telmo neighborhood with American expat and food writer Allie Lazar. She takes us for empanadas served up by Do...

The restaurant landscape in America is rapidly changing. The pandemic gave a lot of people time to rethink, retool, and redo the way the industry works. On this week's show, we speak with young chefs and restaurateurs who are changing the rules and reshaping culinary culture. We begin with Chef Mason Hereford, who has earned a reputation for his creative approach to dining, transforming everyday i...