Primal Nights Returns
A new kind of trinity at Bacchanal in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward
When Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, Louisianans rose to the occasion with an outpouring of support and aid. We understand perhaps better than anyone what it’s like to have your home battered by storms, after all. Even some of the least-expected organizations put together initiatives to help our Puerto Rican neighbors in Maria’s aftermath—including Bacchanal, New Orleans’ laid-back Ninth Ward wine bar and backyard music venue.
The result was Primal Nights, a fundraising initiative for which Bacchanal invited different big-name chefs into their kitchen to create exciting dishes, the proceeds of which initially went toward the international nonprofit Pure Water 4 Kids, which provided much-needed resources following Hurricane Maria. The first collaboration was so successful that Bacchanal kept Primal Nights rolling, and since that first fundraiser, the special events have raked in over $100,000 for local and international causes including the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Capoiera and Brazilian Cultural Arts Center New Orleans, Bike Easy, Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief, No Kid Hungry, Planned Parenthood, NAMI, and many others.
“Since we started, Primal Nights have been an enjoyable way for us to collaborate with friends, give back to the community and pay homage to Bacchanal’s humble food beginnings,” said Managing Partner of Bacchanal Joaquin Rodas. “This year, in honor of our twentieth [anniversary], we’re partnering with more chefs and look forward to raising even more money for organizations near and dear to our hearts.”
As Bacchanal rounds out two full decades of uncorking European wines and slinging charcuterie boards, the self-described “wine lab” is bringing Primal Nights back in time for summer of 2022. Chefs for July include Alfredo Nogeira of the Cure Group (July 12) and Jonathan Zaragoza of Birrieria Zaragoza in Chicago (July 26), with the ACLU and The Power Coalition as the first charity partners. The series runs every Tuesday through November, inviting a dazzling series of guest chefs to host different exciting pop-up dinners each week—bridging community, philanthropy, and food; surely another one of New Orleans’ favorite trinities.