Photo by David Simpson.
Cracklins frying up at a traditional boucherie.
Meg Gray steps up at Tujague's
Changes are afoot at the second-oldest restaurant in New Orleans—which has the distinct claim to fame of being the birthplace of brunch. With the recent announcement of Native New Orleanian Chef Gus Martin’s retirement, Chef Meg Gray is now stepping up to take the reins. With a culinary background that includes training at Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, Gray has been training under Martin for the past two years—setting her up with an immersive understanding of the restaurant’s rich traditions and dedication to quality. tujaguesrestaurant.com.
Zeeland Street gets a nod from the New York Times
Earlier this fall, the New York Times published its annual list of America’s best restaurants. Along with Ana Castro’s buzzy new contemporary Mexican restaurant Acamaya in New Orleans, the list includes a quieter, long-beloved spot in Baton Rouge’s Garden District: Stephanie Phares’s Zeeland Street. Since 1992, Zeeland Street has been a neighborhood staple, serving scratch-made cozy casual classic breakfasts and lunches, along with plate lunch specials like “Mama’s Pot Roast,” and pecan smoked brisket with sides—which NYT reviewer Brett Anderson described as “a paragon of the form.” zeelandstreet.com.
An Immersive Boucherie Experience: November 8–10
Toby Rodriguez and the folks from Lâche Pas Boucherie are returning for what is sure to be one of Acadiana’s most popular fall festival traditions in recent memory: a tried-and-true traditional boucherie weekend. Guests will step back in time to a world before the convenience of the supermarket, a world where our connection to our food started at the beginning of its life and followed it to its end. Guests will observe and participate in the butchering and food preparation process (enjoying, in copious amounts, the fruits of that labor), as well as panel discussions, live music, and cultural celebrations. Overnight camping is encouraged. Details at boucherielachepas.com.
