Tom Gregory on Sampling the Tammany Taste

When Tom Gregory set out to film a segment on St. Tammany Parish for WLAE-TV's “Go Coast: Louisiana” series, the Emmy Award-winning host and producer didn't realize he was biting off far more than anticipated—but it was so delicious, he was happy to keep on chewing! As the crew made their way along the Northshore sampling local cuisine and chatting with the personalities behind it, they unearthed so much to taste and explore that the initial half-hour episode expanded to three parts, then five.

“There's just so much every time you stop.  Anything you do—a restaurant, an event—you find out about two more things you just have to try. It's a ridiculous bounty of fun and goodness there,” Gregory says, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

Even with the extra episodes, there seems to be no danger of running out of adventures on the Northshore.

“We could do two or three more, no problem,” says Gregory. “Honestly, we could just keep on going there and still maybe not come across everything [St. Tammany has] to offer.”

As for the food?  Gregory can't get enough of it. He maintains that the kitchens of the Northshore “hold their own weight,” even with culinary heavy-hitter New Orleans just across the lake. It's the area itself, and the people who inhabit it, that give the cuisine its unique edge.

“The chefs are what impressed me the most. They're talented, excited, inspired by where they are,” Gregory says. He admires their use of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to channel creativity and passion into unique seasonal dishes. “They have their own voice. It's important. They celebrate their food.”

The cheerful host is always entertained when viewers tell him they use his segments to plan their trips. He chalks it up to his being “just a regular guy,” not a professional chef or tour guide with a script or an agenda.

“This isn't a commercial, it's real,” he says. “I can do it, they can do it, anybody can do it. All you have to do is get in your car and go.”

Whet your appetite with webisodes excerpted by the series, available on TammanyTaste.com. Hungry for more? The Tammany Taste of Summer runs August 1 through 31, featuring prix fixe menus at local restaurants, tastings, special events, and more! Visit TammanyTaste.com for more information and special rates on overnight accommodations.