Petal to the Metal

For our Art of Food dinner, Chef Jeffrey Hansell builds a menu out of floral notes and Gulf invaders

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Across continents and computer screens, online at his Northshore home, Jeffrey Hansell smelled flowers. These blossoms were the work of Argentinian muralist Francisco “Pastel” Diaz, who this November travels from his home in Buenos Aires to Louisiana, where he will paint a number of large-scale outdoor works in Baton Rouge and beyond. These pieces impressed enough in the artist’s online portfolio, but from neighboring multi-story buildings in each image, Hansell understood the creations were sky-high. Look how the artist disrupted droning monochromatic cityscapes with his serene yet imposing, exuberant creations—brown, gray, crumbling brick, boarded window … blossom!

Hansell, now in virtual lockstep upon the sidewalks of the world, could see that with his painted beauties, Diaz seeks to awaken a sense of environmental responsibility. Outsized images of local wildlife remind passersby that the act of paving over the natural world means robbing a region of its identity. The artist’s enormous flowers, specific to each place he paints, startle and delight. But what do you think they taste like? That is for Chef Hansell to decide.

On November 6, Hansell—who is chef-owner of Oxlot 9 in downtown Covington—will bring his creative energy to bear at Lamar Advertising Corporate Headquarters, in Baton Rouge, during the third annual Art of Food dinner—a partnership between Ann Connelly Fine Art, Country Roads and Louisiana Public Broadcasting. With a three-course menu and passed hors-d’oeuvres, Hansell will translate Diaz’s artistic aesthetic onto the plate—using his own Gulf-coast-inspired culinary style and environmental concerns to guide him. The Waveland, Mississippi native advocates for sustainable seafood and stands alongside chefs proud to serve fresh Gulf fish—whether by taking an “eat-it-to-save-it” approach to invasive species, or simply by committing to support local fisherman. “It’s not really a movement I was drawn to,” said Hansell. “I was brought up with it. I’ve always done it.” He cites his love for a fishmonger’s “in-the-moment” ingredients, making a cook’s dinner decisions far from the freezer aisle and its questionable (but unquestionably cheaper) imports. Hansell’s guests at Oxlot 9—and soon at a second seafood restaurant the chef and his wife will open next spring in Bay St. Louis—are enlisted nightly in the cause, by the simple act of picking up a menu. “It’s important,” said Hansell. “I have kids; I want them to be able to fish the same fish I did as a kid.”

[Read this: Hansell was the man behind our sustainable seafood Supper Club at the Baton Rouge Water Campus too.]

Hansell knows that, when it comes to the senses, the eyes eat first. And he relishes the challenge of figuring out creative ways to utilize local seafood to serve both his cause and his business, too. But with the Art of Food, Hansell ascends to a new aesthetic—using color and aroma to acknowledge Diaz’s beloved blossoms throughout his menu. Their shared ecological conscience forms the common theme.

For the first course diners should expect to use a fork—not a harpoon—to defeat the invasive lionfish, which Hansell will deliver in a bright, citrusy chowder built of coconut milk, smoked bacon and potato, and saffron. The profile: light and bright as an artist’s wall-sized botanical statement, enlivening an otherwise-drab urban center.

[Learn more about the lionfish's invasion.]

Next up, Hansell will explore what happens when buttery tiger prawn—that other Gulf invader—meets smoky, redolent wild boar chorizo: another invasive species we would do well to make part of our staple diet. Orange butternut squash and muted yellow hominy will remind diners that autumn has at last reached the South, while fennel brings its own floral song.

Dessert will be where Hansell truly puts the petal to the metal. Expect to get a dab of cream on your nose as you attack his pannacotta, sweet with local honey and perfumed with fresh lavender and hibiscus syrup—the bouquet building with every spoonful.

That is how Chef Jeff Hansell goes about interpreting “the Art of Food.” Of course, when your art takes the form of a meal instead of a mural, when you finally rise from the table,  little will linger. That’s the sting, but maybe also the message: it’s a precious world we’ve got, and all too easy to consume. 

Join us for the Art of Food on November 6. Tickets on sale now.