Louisiana Eats

New Orleans is one of the oldest cities in America, but its acclaimed cuisine is hardly stuck in the past. Today, the local food scene is bolder, more diverse, and more inventive than ever. That’s what food writer Beth D'Addono discovered when researching her latest publication, "City Eats: New Orleans." Offering an extensive overview of the local restaurant landscape, the book also provides over 50 recipes from the Big Easy's top chefs. Beth joins us to discuss this talented new guard of chefs and restaurateurs – many who found their footing during the pandemic.

Then, we dig into two restaurants featured in Beth’s book. 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.

Finally, we take 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.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Food has a way of carrying a place with it. A recipe can preserve a memory. A bottle of wine can carry a taste of home across an ocean. This week, we explore the food of the eastern Mediterranean – from Cyprus and Greece to Lebanon – and the stories that come with it.

First, we speak with Anissa Helou, author of Lebanon: Cooking the Foods of My Homeland. Anissa tells us about the cuisine she grew up with in Beirut – much of which sounds surprisingly familiar to the food traditions of Louisiana. Now based in Sicily, she has continued to write to preserve these culinary traditions and knowledge for future generations.

Next, we hear from first-generation Greek-American writer and comedian Gus Constantellis. When Gus unexpectedly lost his mom to a sudden stroke in 2023, he began writing down his memories of her and the recipes she made for their family. The result was a deeply personal and humorous tribute to his mother called My Greek Mom's Recipes: She Died. I Wrote This Cookbook.

Finally, we speak with Ari Kyriakides, a Cyprus native who has called New Orleans home for decades. Ari's the owner of Ambeli Wine Imports and Distribution, a Louisiana company he created to make Cypriot wine widely available in the U.S. He tells us how he's working to put Cyprus on the map one bottle at a time.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

The more you learn how to perceive something, the more there is to experience. Just ask any sommelier. For them, what was once simply "wine" became acidity, tannin, texture, aroma, balance, and finish. The wine hasn’t changed – they just learned to better appreciate what was there all along. This week, we explore how we can improve our enjoyment of food and drink by learning to taste with intention.

We begin with Mandy Naglich, author of How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life. Mandy explains how sight, smell, sound, and even expectation can affect your experience at the table. She wants us all to slow down, pay attention, and become more aware of the experiences we're having – to savor what's in front of us, rather than simply consume it.

Next, we meet Dr. Arielle Johnson. She a flavor scientist whose work takes her into the kitchens, restaurants, and bars where new ideas about food and drink are being developed. Her book, Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor, empowers readers to use the science of food to improvise, experiment, and cook with confidence.

Finally, we look at what happens when one of those hidden ingredients of flavor is suddenly gone. Author Molly Birnbaum recounts the story of losing the sense that made her want to become a chef – and discovering a new way forward.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

The Slow Food movement sprang to life in 1986, when the first McDonald's in Italy was set to open at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome. Founder Carlo Petrini was so horrified by this fast food invasion that he began Slow Food to combat the effects of homogenization and to preserve and celebrate the flavors of regional cuisine.

Now 40 years later, the grassroots movement has spread to over 160 countries with more than 70 chapters here in the U.S. On this week's show, we speak with people who are working to further Slow Food's mission to educate, inspire, and mobilize people toward good, clean, fair food.

We begin with Danny Childs, author of the James Beard Award-winning book, Slow Drinks. The trained ethnobotanist and bartender shares how he creates seasonal, foraged, and fermented beverages using local ingredients.

Next, we speak with members of the Slow Food USA movement who wrote The Ark of Taste: Delicious and Distinctive Foods That Define the United States. The book provides an in-depth look at some of the stories behind our country’s disappearing flavors.

Finally, we chat with Sarah Lohman, author of Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods. Sarah recounts her adventure researching some of the rarest ingredients in the U.S.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini passed away in May at the age of 76. This week's episode is dedicated to him and the amazing food revolution he brought to this world.

Every Labor Day weekend, tens of thousands of members of the LGBTQ community from around the world gather in New Orleans for the five-day party known as Southern Decadence. To celebrate, this week, we bring you stories of culinarians expressing queerness through food.

First, we hear from John Birdsall, author of "What Is Queer Food? How We Served a Revolution." He tells us about the often-unknown gay influence on modern American cuisine and some of the hidden heroes who have contributed so much to how and what we eat. And, perhaps most importantly, he answers the titular question of his book.

Then, we catch up with our New Orleans friends, Kitten N' Lou. You may know them as the couple who put on spectacular shows that combine drag, dance, burlesque, and a theater. By day, they're the owners of Chance In Hell SnoBalls in the New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood. We visit the dynamic duo, who have moved their operation from a front porch pandemic project to a popular brick-and-mortar shop.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

From north to south, Louisiana's Latin food scene has been reaching new heights over the past decade. On this week's show, we explore the rich and dynamic flavors of Latin cuisine in our state.

We begin in the Crescent City, where Ana and Lydia Castro are turning heads with their Mexican seafood restaurant, Acamaya. Chef Ana returns to our studio – this time, with her sister Lydia – to discuss their business partnership and to talk about their new breakfast and lunch spot, Casimiro.

Next, we sit down with Juan and Tatiana Lock, the husband-and-wife duo behind Tito's Ceviche and Pisco. The New Orleans restaurant serves up the bold flavors of Peru with a taste of the Louisiana Gulf. And fans of pisco – a clear grape brandy produced in Peru – will find a long bar at Tito's that offers all manner of the country's national spirit. Juan and Tatiana talk about their restaurant, pisco, and Peruvian cuisine.

Finally, we speak with Gabriel Balderas who runs two of the most popular restaurants in Shreveport: El Cabo Verde and Zuzul Coastal Cuisine. Gabriel, who emigrated from Mexico when he was 16, has also just opened a new restaurant, Papalotl, in his hometown of Oaxaca. The Shreveport chef discusses his career and explains why he insists on using locally sourced ingredients.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

In 2023, Chef Edgar "Dook" Chase IV made his public television debut in the WYES cooking series, "The Dooky Chase Kitchen: Leah's Legacy." Dook, the grandson of Louisiana legend Leah Chase, is now back with a brand-new PBS series called "Dook Chase: A Chef's Journey." Each episode takes viewers on a food tour of New Orleans, as Dook meets with chefs, restaurateurs, and local culinary talent. On this week's show, we sit down with Chef Dook and speak with two guests featured on his show about their chef journeys.

After Dook tells us about the show and companion cookbook of the same name, we chat with Kaitlin Guerin, the New Orleans gal who was the first baker in the U.S. to become a finalist in the emerging chef category of the prestigious James Beard Awards. We hear how she reached that lofty position and what she's creating at Lagniappe Bakehouse, her Central City shop that's getting such national attention.

Finally, we speak with Meg Bickford, the first female to ever rise to the executive chef's position at Commander's Palace. There's an awful lot of talent and power in that tiny little frame.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

New Orleans has long been seen as a place where alcohol flows freely and drunkenness is a natural state of being. Over the last few years, that may be changing. Don't worry, nobody's getting sober. They've just found an alternative in the form of hemp-derived THC drinks! The Big Easy is now the fourth-largest hemp beverage market in the country and four of the top 25 brands are headquartered right here. On this week's show, Louisiana Eats explores this brave new world of THC drinks and beyond.

First, we sit down with Monica Olano – or as she's known to the thousands who follow her podcast – Cali Sober Mom. Monica tells us about her discovery of hemp beverages, which led to her to launch her podcast, open a hemp wellness market in Metairie called Cali Sober Market, and create Mélange – a THC-centric club on New Orleans' iconic Frenchmen Street.

If you can’t make it to Metairie or the Marigny, you can still get your hemp fix in the Lower Garden District – on St. Charles Avenue, no less! That's where you'll find High Grinds, a coffee bar serving up java, tea, and THC. Owners and managing partners Beth Galante and Derek Domingue have set up shop in a painstakingly restored 19th-century house that looks out on the streetcar line. They give us a tour of the space and tell us about the variety of products they offer.

Next, naturopathic doctor and author Erika Siegel joins us to talk about the effects of hemp-derived and mushroom products on our bodies. The good doctor offers tips when it comes to consuming CBD or THC products for the first time, emphasizing the importance of educating oneself slowly.

Finally, we hear from Kate Clarke of Ficus Ceramica. Kate's a ceramic artist in New Orleans who makes molds of real food and then casts them with porcelain. On her website, you'll find items for sale like Eggo Waffle spoon rests, vases shaped like broccoli, and mounted art using casts of food – like oysters, onions, and okra. But her real claim to fame is her intricate ceramic pipes – each one designed to elevate the act of smoking cannabis. Kate tells us how she turns food into beautiful works of art.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On this week's show, we explore international food icons with humble roots that began right here in the Crescent City. We begin with writer and philanthropist Randy Fertel, who shares stories of his mother, Ruth U. Fertel. She founded Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, now a worldwide establishment, in New Orleans. Both of Randy's larger-than-life parents are the titular subjects of his 2011 memoir, The Gorilla Man and the Empress of Steak.

Then, we look back at one of New Orleans' most colorful culinary characters – the late Al Copeland – who built a global fast-food empire with his spicy Popeyes Fried Chicken. This kitchen-rags-to-chicken-riches story is the subject of the book Secrets of a Tastemaker. Al Copeland Jr. relates his father's story with us.

Finally, we learn about the legendary public feud between Al Copeland and a local author whose vampire novels became global bestsellers: Anne Rice. Historian Sally Asher of Red Sash Tours takes us to Millionaire's Row in Metairie Cemetery where both of these famous New Orleanians are buried to recount this episode in the city's history.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Here in Louisiana, intergenerational cooking is a way of life. Who doesn't treasure their great grandmother's gumbo recipe or still use their mom's roasting pan? This week, we talk with two women of East Asian heritage whose families and cultures share that motherly love expressed through food.

Local-girl-made-good, Chef Nini Nguyen, grew up among the large Vietnamese population in New Orleans and shot to national prominence on "Top Chef." Nini joins us to talk about her rise to fame, her family, and her publication, "Đặc Biệt: An Extra Special Vietnamese Cookbook," which was named cookbook of the year by NPR.

Then, we hear from Sarah Ahn, the social media manager for America's Test Kitchen and creator of Ahnest Kitchen, the website on which she recounts stories of her life and those of her Korean immigrant parents. Sarah's also the author of, "Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes." She tells us about her bestselling cookbook, which is also part family memoir and part cultural history.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.