Louisiana Eats

Traditionally, the concept of sustainability referred to making enough money to keep a restaurant, or any business, up and running. In recent years, however, the term has expanded to take into account maintaining the environment that provides the raw materials businesses use. This is especially true for restaurants – businesses that would simply not exist if the supply of meat, fish, and plant-based food were not sustained. On this week's show, we hear from two chefs and a farmer who are doing their part to provide for their customers, while finding ways to live in harmony with the planet. First up is a field trip to the kitchen of GW Fins, an upscale seafood restaurant in the French Quarter, where we learn about Chef Michael Nelson's innovative work with dry-aging fish. The result is an elevated dish that is denser, more tender, and more flavorful. And customers can’t get enough. Then, we hear from Will Harris of White Oak Pastures. A pioneer in regenerative farming, Will is the author of A Bold Return to Giving a Damn: One Farm, Six Generations, and the Future of Food. Finally, we visit Chef Marcus Jacobs at his Mid-City seafood market, Porgy's, where he's on a mission to introduce folks to the treasure trove of lesser-known fish species found right here in the Gulf of Mexico. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

In many places, the cocktail hour is an honored – even sacred – tradition. And in few places is that more true than New Orleans. On this week's show, we explore the fascinating evolution of cocktail culture in the Big Easy – its past, present and future. We begin with craft cocktail master Neal Bodenheimer. Neal, who opened Freret Street bar Cure in 2009, traces the city's long love affair with concocted libations in his James Beard-nominated book, Cure: New Orleans Drinks And How To Mix 'Em. Next, we swing over to Gravier Street to join flavorist Christa Cotton on a tour of her El Guapo factory where she creates her internationally award-winning bitters and much-loved cocktail mixers. Finally, we sit down with T. Cole Newton, one of New Orleans' premiere bartenders and bar owners. His book, Cocktail Dive Bar, not only shares recipes from his famed Mid-City hangout Twelve Mile Limit, but also imparts plenty of thoughtful wisdom Cole has garnered from over a decade in business. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On this week's show, we meet inventors and pioneers who have changed the way we eat. We begin with the Bayou State's spiciest new business, Louisiana Pepper Exchange. Founder and CEO Chris White shares the story of the amazing engineering feat he accomplished and how it led to the launch of his company. Then, we learn about plant breeder Dr. Calvin Lamborn, known as the Father of the Sugar Snap Pea. We speak with his son, Rod Lamborn, who is working hard to preserve his late father's legacy. Finally, we hear the fascinating story of Leon Godchaux, Louisiana's own titan of the sugar industry in the 19th century. His rags-to-riches tale comes to life in Peter Wolf's book, The Sugar King: Leon Godchaux, A New Orleans Legend, His Creole Slave and His Jewish Roots. Peter, who is Godchaux's great-great-grandson, tells us how this poor, illiterate Jewish immigrant built a business empire with his innovative spirit. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Chinese cooking has been a part of the American dining scene since the mid-1800s and remains an integral aspect of the industry today. This week, we take an in-depth look at the Chinese restaurant tradition from a variety of perspectives. For decades, the parking lot was always full at the little red building just across the parish line from New Orleans. Inside, a packed house of diners could be found happily munching on dim sum and other Cantonese dishes at Royal China Restaurant. In 2021, after forty-plus years in business, Shirley Lee and her husband Chef Tang Lee decided to retire. But now they are back with their new restaurant, Miss Shirley's on Magazine Street in Uptown New Orleans. That hostess with the mostest and her daughter who helps run the business, Carling Lee, visited our studio to tell us how restaurateurs-turned-retirees turned restaurateurs again. Next, we talk to Curtis Chin, who came of age in Detroit at a Chinese restaurant run by multiple generations of his family. Like many immigrant families, Curtis' parents worked long, hard hours running their business with time for little else. But they made sure that their children were exposed to the wider world and all it had to offer. Curtis reflects on the lessons he took from that childhood experience in his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Finally, Chef Andrew Lu joins us. Having grown up in Lafayette, the child of immigrants from China, Andrew is truly an Asian Cajun. And nowhere is that more apparent than in the name of his popular pop-up restaurant – Get Your Mom and Dim Sum. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Since reopening with much fanfare in 2015, New Orleans' St. Roch Market has experienced ups and downs, but the city's second oldest city market is still standing. Since 2015, St. Roch has functioned as a culinary incubator for food professional wannabes – and what a bunch of delicious incubation is happening there now! On this week's show, we speak with the market's new director, longtime vendor Kevin Pedeaux, and learn why that bustling spot on St. Claude is the place to be these days. We then go stall by stall to meet the vendors – the St. Roch stars who are cooking up some of the most diverse offerings to be found under one single roof today. Next, we hear from one of St. Roch Market's biggest success stories. Chef Charly Pierre began creating delicious Haitian dishes based on the traditional street foods that abound in his ancestral homeland. Charly's career has since skyrocketed. He's been featured on a number of national cooking competition shows, and garnered accolades from the likes of Zagat, Eater, and the James Beard Foundation. These days, Charly can be found in the kitchen of his own Basin Street restaurant, Fritai. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

March 19th might be just another day in other parts of the United States, but here in New Orleans it's a day when revelers take to the streets in honor of the Feast of St. Joseph. The tradition of food altars dedicated to Jesus' foster father came to the Crescent City in the late 1800s with immigrants from Sicily, where Joseph is the patron saint. What was called Mi-Carême (or Mid-Lent by the Creoles) was a day when fasting was suspended and festivities abounded. On this week's show, we explore the holiday and join in on the celebration. Tony Marino's family were faithful followers of St. Joseph, and today, he keeps the tradition alive at his Bourbon Street home in New Orleans' French Quarter. We sit down with Tony to hear what it takes to pull off his annual street party, complete with altars and a life-sized statue of St. Joseph. Then, Arthur Brocato, third generation of Angelo Brocato's Ice Cream and Confectionary, joins us to share his family's history and explain the special role Brocato's has played in the St. Joseph's Day celebration. Founded in the French Quarter in 1905, the gelateria and pasticceria continues those traditions today on Carrollton Avenue in Mid-City. Finally, historian Laura Guccione joins us to reveal what she's discovered about the fancy dress balls that were once part of the St. Joseph tradition and to explain the mystical tie between the feast day and the Mardi Gras Indians. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On this week's show, we meet New Orleans chefs who have stepped into the spotlight. We begin with Anh Luu, who is well known locally for her signature "Viet-Cajun" menus that meld together the flavors of Southeast Asia and her native Louisiana. In January, the whole country got to know Anh when she was featured on the eighth season of the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series, Queer Eye. She tells us about her life and culinary career and describes how the Fab Five changed her life. We also have an extended conversation with chef and YouTube star Toya Boudy, whose first cookbook is Cooking for the Culture: Recipes and Stories from the Streets of New Orleans to the Table. Toya tells us about her struggles growing up in her beloved New Orleans and how she found success on cooking competition shows – stories she shares along with recipes in her deeply personal and unique cookbook. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

A lot of magic can be made with nothing more than flour, sugar, and, of course, butter! On this week's show, we explore the magic that some folks are achieving with just that combination. First, we hear from Juliana Fernandes and Juliana Freire, the dynamic duo behind one of New Orleans' newest eateries, Juliana's Brazilian Bakery and Café. Playfully decorated in pastel pinks and greens, the cozy Lakeview neighborhood café features a pastry case brimming with beautiful cakes and Brazilian bonbons known as brigadeiros. The kitchen also offers a breakfast and lunch menu, including the Brazilian national beans and rice dish, feijoada. The two Julianas tell us all how their little Brazilian outpost came to be. Next, we chat with the affable Ralph the Baker, a local cook who has become an international social media sensation. He explains how he has built his online presence to include millions of followers and why he's the baker who almost never bakes. Finally, we learn about the little bakery that king cake built. Only a few years after Martha Gilreath achieved fame for her Nolita king cakes, she has opened up a brick-and-mortar bakery in New Orleans – selling items like bialys, boudin danish, and something called "cros'saints." We stop by her warm, sunny space, located just a few blocks from Bayou St. John in Mid-City. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Most of the country makes New Year's resolutions that kick in right after January 1st. But in Louisiana, there tends to be a slight postponement. That's because Carnival Season, a time of indulgence, kicks off on January 6th with the astounding king cake eating and cocktail drinking that comes with it. So, our resolutions about healthy living and sobriety tend to wait until Ash Wednesday – the day after Mardi Gras. This week, we hear from experts about the merits of clean living. Since she first opened her practice, Dr. Erika Siegel has extolled the virtues of eating the right foods as the foundation of good health. Across a decade and a half, the naturopathic physician collected all of her sage advice and put it into a book, The Nourish Me Kitchen. The first half of the two-volume set offers easily digestible recommendations from stocking a healthy pantry to getting a good night's sleep. The second half features more than 300 recipes for creating healthy and delicious meals. Dr. Siegel joins us in the studio to discuss her book and share some practical advice on achieving and maintaining optimal health. Then, two of the Big Easy's native sons, Chris Copeland and Dan Forman tell us about how their NOLA Detox and Recovery Center incorporates New Orleans-style hospitality and food to help clients overcome addiction. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Historically, when people consider the roots of classic Creole food, the French are given most of the credit. But lately there has been increasing focus on the African hand that stirred those pots. New Orleans has been blessed in recent years with an influx of young African chefs and restaurateurs who have been busy shedding new light on where our food really came from. On this week's show, we honor those ancestors with the help of New Orleans’ new African culinary guard. From Addis NOLA, we hear from Dr. Biruk Alemayehu and Prince Lobo, the mother-and-son team bringing their authentic Ethiopian dining experience to historic Bayou Road. That includes injera bread and honey wine that have been served in the Horn of Africa for thousands of years. Then, West African chef Fanta Tambajang recounts the journey from her home in Gambia to her French Quarter restaurant Bennachin. You may already know and love her classic jama jama and fried plantains from the Jazz Fest where Fanta has been a sensation for decades. Finally, Queen Ndir describes the genesis of her popular Central City eatery, Ndindy African Cuisine, where the primarily Senegalese menu also features dishes from Ghana, Nigeria, and even Jamaica. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

As Fat Tuesday draws near, we've got a second helping of Mardi Gras fun for you! Most people are familiar with the images of Carnival revelry: the crowds, parades, and flowing libations. But like every other season in New Orleans, Mardi Gras is also all about the food. This week, author and photographer Sally Asher takes a break from her professional endeavors to talk about the various ways she celebrates Carnival – including roller skating down St. Charles Avenue, riding high atop a parade float, and dancing in the street. More importantly, she shares her very specific dining and drinking preferences during each of the season's big events. Then, Krewe of Red Beans founder Devin De Wulf is back in our studio. He recalls how his krewe has evolved from being a small neighborhood walking parade to becoming a nonprofit community force dedicated to feeding the city's culture bearers. Finally, Carnival historian Errol Laborde examines Mardi Gras' origins and gives us a glimpse into the private krewe parties that take place before the riders mount their floats. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

It's Carnival time in New Orleans! But the Big Easy isn't the only place people are celebrating. Just across Lake Pontchartrain sits St. Tammany Parish, a combination of bedroom communities and small towns that embrace nature and a laid-back existence. There, folks in towns such as Slidell, Mandeville, and Madisonville have developed their own unique forms of Mardi Gras merriment. On this week's show, we hear from three of those revelers. We kick things off with Charlotte Collins, who tells us the story of Mona Lisa and MoonPie, the oldest walking parade krewe in the City of Slidell. In 1984, she co-founded the krewe with a mission "to promote the arts, Olde Towne Slidell, and good humor." Their signature throws are MoonPies – the Chattanooga-made treats – which are tossed by the tens of thousands to eager parade-goers each year. Then, Tina Rhinehart talks about the Mande Milkshakers, the Northshore's first all-women marching group. Hailing from the West Tammany town of Mandeville, the adult dance team boasts more than 80 members who dress as mid-century housewives as they strut their stuff in parades on both sides of the lake. Finally, Bonnie Dennis gives us the lowdown on St. Tammany's floating procession, the Krewe of Tchefuncte. For half a century, their flotilla of fun has been making its way along the Tchefuncte River, celebrating the Carnival season, as well as the rich natural resources of St. Tammany Parish. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

What makes a food distinctly American? This week, Louisiana Eats explores that topic by serving a heaping helping of Americana – in decidedly Southern-sized portions. First, we sit down with native son, Burke Bischoff, whose paperback Po'Boy, tells the story of the classic New Orleans poor boy sandwich – its delicious and endless varieties, the real secret of the dish, and what it has to do with a 1929 streetcar strike. Next, we speak with Ty Matejowsky, author of Smothered and Covered: Waffle House and the Southern Imaginary. The anthropologist makes his argument that the ubiquitous 24-7 roadside diner serves as a microcosm of Southern culture. Finally, author Rien Fertel demystifies the role of the pitmaster in the tradition of whole hog barbecue in Tennessee and the Eastern Carolinas. Rien's exhaustive research led him to some of the smokiest and most storied barbecue shacks in America. His experience is chronicled in his book, The One True Barbecue. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

In New Orleans and across our state, we're surrounded by history. Our architecture, museums, and libraries tell us stories of bygone eras. But arguably the best place to get a taste of Louisiana history is in any of our historic restaurants. On this week's show, we look at culinary landmarks that have been dining destinations for generations. We begin with a visit to Middendorf's, the classic seafood house located in Manchac – a tiny village 40 miles north of New Orleans on Lake Maurepas. Famed for its thin-cut fried catfish, Middendorf's celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. Originally owned by three generations of family, it was taken over by Horst and Karen Pfeifer in 2007 after their French Quarter fine dining restaurant was closed due to Katrina. Horst walks us through Middendorf's history, talks about his tenure as owner, and describes how he weathers storms on the Louisiana marsh. And we discover the storied past of the iconic Vieux Carré landmark the Napoleon House with Chef Chris Montero. Chris gives us a tour of the historic property, from the bar to the cupola and all points in between. In addition to being an accomplished chef, Chris is also a passionate preservationist and historian. He shares two centuries' worth of Girod and Impastato family lore and explains what he's been doing to keep the restaurant's traditions intact. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Twelfth Night marks the birth of the late New Orleans icon, Leah Chase. The culinary legend, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 96, was the undisputed Queen of Creole Cooking and a civil rights activist who changed lives over a bowl of gumbo. On this week's show, we spend the hour honoring Leah's talent, achievements, and lasting legacy. We begin with one of our favorite Louisiana Eats moments: a special day we spent with Leah in 2012, when then-Mayor Mitch Landrieu kicked off the official start of Carnival season at Gallier Hall with king cake and a surprise for Leah on her 89th birthday. From there, we look back on Leah's early life in Madisonville, Louisiana. Leah describes her earliest days growing up on a strawberry farm, and the lessons she learned that shaped the legend she would become. We continue with an oral history from NOLA Life Stories, in which Leah recounts her first experiences working in a café in the French Quarter, as told to Mark Cave of the Historic New Orleans Collection. Next, we arrive at a turning point in Leah's life — the moment she met big band leader Edgar "Dooky" Chase, Jr. Following their marriage, Leah went to work at Dooky's, her in-laws' simple sandwich shop in the Treme. As she began to serve Creole classics like gumbo and Chicken Clemenceau on fine linen, Leah elevated the dining culture for everyone. Leah tells us about her famous Gumbo z'Herbes, a dish she served at her restaurant every Holy Thursday for over 60 years. We also chronicle how Leah rebuilt Dooky Chase's after Hurricane Katrina. Eleven years after the storm, Leah experienced two other monumental life events — the first was her 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award from the James Beard Foundation. Months later, Leah's husband and partner Edgar "Dooky" Chase — the man who played a key role in her success — passed away at the age of 88. In this final segment, Leah reflects on their relationship and shares her thoughts on death and living a fulfilling life. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

From New Orleans to Shreveport, Lafayette to Baton Rouge, Louisiana residents know one thing for sure: we have some good Louisiana eats! And we are loyal when it comes to those eats and everything that goes along with them. We want the waiter in our favorite century-plus-old restaurant to be the same person who waited on us in childhood. And we expect our classics – from the red beans in the pot to the hot sauce we douse over it liberally – to be exactly the same as we remember from our grandmother's table growing up. This week, we take a look at three Louisiana companies that each have satisfied local appetites for the last 100 years. We begin with Vince Hayward, whose family began and built one of Louisiana's most beloved brands that has lasted four generations – Camellia Brand. Vince spills the beans on how the company marked their centennial and tells us how they are looking ahead to the next century. Next, we hear from Pepper Baumer, third-generation producer of Crystal Hot Sauce – a local favorite that is still made with the same three ingredients that Pepper's grandfather began with in 1923. As a member of one of New Orleans' premier food industry families, Pepper was taught that with great success comes great responsibility. Finally, we head to Ponchatoula, Louisiana to visit Elmer Chocolate, the candy company behind Heavenly Hash – a popular Easter treat that commemorated the century mark in 2023. President and CEO Rob Nelson gives us a tour of their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Between 1880 and 1920 over four million Italians immigrated to the U.S., with the majority of Sicilians coming through the port of New Orleans. Their influence here can be found in the food and in the language where special words like niespuli and cucuzza proliferate. On this week's show, we survey those Sicilian connections to learn new things about this place we call home. We begin with Elisa Speranza, author of The Italian Prisoner. Elisa was inspired to write her debut novel after hearing stories of Italian POWs housed in New Orleans during World War II. After Italy switched sides in 1943, these former enemies became part of the American war effort and the city's makeup. Then, Liz Williams joins us with memories of her Sicilian grandmother, Nana Elisabetta, who arrived in the Crescent City at the age of 18. Her book, Nana's Creole Italian Table, is filled with recipes and family lore. Next, we hear from New Orleans food historian Laura Guccione, whose family hails from Alia, Sicily. With her background in botany, Laura has long been fascinated by a local fruit tree, often referred to as the Japanese plum, which proliferates wildly on the island of Sicily. Her linguistic look at the fruit can be found on New Orleans Historical. Finally, we sit down with Sal Impastato of the renowned Napoleon House clan. Sal tells us the story of the business that was family-owned and -operated for almost a century, before he handed over the keys to Ralph Brennan in 2015. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

For foodies and food lovers, eating is more than just a daily necessity – it's an all-consuming passion. While this can be mostly a good thing, the long term effects of food obsession can have their drawbacks. Nationally prominent comedian and actor Dan Ahdoot knows these downsides all too well. In his debut memoir, Undercooked: How I Let Food Become My Life Navigator and How Maybe That's a Dumb Way to Live, Dan examines his emotional relationship with food starting from childhood, and provides both an honest and comedic look at where that has gotten him. After we speak with Dan, we sit down with Gabriel Nehrbass and Andres Rodrigues Ursua to learn how food – paella in particular – inspires people of Spanish heritage to gather together in New Orleans. Finally, when we think of fine dining, we don't often think of Mother Nature. Sitting on the tranquil Bayou Bonfouca near Old Town Slidell, Palmettos on the Bayou offers an experience that's perfect for nature lovers and food connoisseurs alike. Owner Duffy Ramirez and Chef Ross Dover tell us about this special spot where food and the sights and sounds of Louisiana wildlife entwine. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

December is upon us, and we're making merry this festive season by discovering new mixed drinks and getting the stories behind some iconic cocktails. First, we learn about Dick Bradsell, the late, great British bartender who invented several modern cocktail classics – most notably the Espresso Martini. His daughter Bea Bradsell joins us in the studio to talk about her father's legacy in hospitality. Then, we hear from authors Sue Strachan and Tim McNally. As part of the Iconic New Orleans Cocktails series from LSU Press, both Sue and Tim have written books exploring Café Brûlot and the Sazerac, respectively. And finally, are you looking to bring the party this season, but want to hold off on the booze? That's where Lauren Chitwood of Spiritless comes in. She tells us about the development of an alcohol-free line of liquor that is a dead ringer for the real thing when mixed in a glass. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

The elves are busy in Santa's workshop at this time of year! So as we head into the big holiday gift-giving time, Louisiana Eats is talking with some home-grown, Louisiana elves for delicious inspiration. First, we hear from Jady Regard, CNO (Chief Nut Officer) and second-generation proprietor of Cane River Pecan Company. He tells us how the past half-century has seen his family's enterprise grow from a small Acadian pecan orchard to a purveyor of fine culinary gifts starring the state's official nut. Next, we head down to New Orleans' Lower Garden District to speak with Christopher Nobles of Piety and Desire Chocolates. Since founding his bespoke business in 2017, the local chocolatier has been uncompromising in his reverence and passion for chocolate, while balancing science and art in his bean-to-bar production. Finally, as Orleans Coffee celebrates 40 years of quenching the Crescent City's thirst, owner Bob Arceneaux recounts how this local company has expanded to a national level. Bob also fills us in on the special anniversary blend recently introduced. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.