Louisiana Cookin' Chefs to Watch Dinner

For my birthday, August 20, I'm having the pleasure of attending the Louisiana Cookin' Chefs to Watch 2012 Awards Dinner at the Theatre at Harrah's New Orleans.  This annual dinner features superb dishes from five Louisiana chefs who have been named as that year's "chefs to watch" by Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  This year, I'm proud to know a couple of the honorees.  Chef Ryan Andre from Le Creole in Baton Rouge is a graduate of the Louisiana Culinary Institute and has been on both of my radio shows before.  Manny Augello at Jolie's Bistro in Lafayette cooked at the James Beard House earlier this summer and I got a preview of that meal before he left for New York.  I'm excited to meet the rest of the chefs while I'm in New Orleans.  Here's the menu with wine pairings that they'll be cooking up:

Passed Hors D'oeuvres

Cochon de Lait - Fried Hog's Head Cheese with Black Eye Pea and Sweet Potato Vinegar Caviar
Chef Manny Augello, Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro, Lafayette

Roasted Gulf Oyster Crostini with Bruleed Parmesan and Applewood Bacon
Chef Ryan Andre, Le Creolé, Baton Rouge

Fried Wild Mushroom Springroll with Asparagus Tips and Tarragon Aioli Sauce
Chef Zac Watters, Zachary’s Restaurant, Mandeville

Watermelon with Cherry Tomato Filet and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Chef Brad McGehee, Ye Olde College Inn, New Orleans

Fish and Chips - Fresh Yellow Fin Tuna with Micro Cilantro, Lime and Spicy Chili Sauce atop House Made Potato Chips
Chef Lindsay Mason, Cristiano Ristorante, Houma

Seated Dinner

Shrimp and Andouille Beignets with a Louisiana Crawfish Corn Maque Choux
Chef Zac Watters, Zachary’s Restaurant, Mandeville
Conundrum “California” 2010 (by Caymus Vineyards)

Smoked Tomato Soup with Gulf Crab Claw and Crème Fraiche
Chef Ryan Andre, Le Creolé, Baton Rouge
Mark West Pinot Noir “California”

Goat Cheese and Blueberry Salad - Panko Crusted Goat Cheese, Roasted Pistachios, Louisiana Blueberries and Mache Greens
Chef Lindsay Mason, Cristiano Ristorante, Houma
Campo Viejo Riserva (Rioja, Spain)

Zapp’s Crusted Cobia with Heirloom Potato, Garden Vegetable Hash, and Smoked Tomato Butter Sauce
Chef Brad McGehee, Ye Olde College Inn, New Orleans
Mer Soleil Chardonnay “Silver” (by Caymus Vineyards)

Bacon and Waffle - Toasted Grit Waffle with Buttermilk Ice Cream with Bacon Caramel
Chef Manny Augello, Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro, Lafayette
Sandeman Fine Tawny Port


The Chefs to Watch Awards Dinner raises money for Café Reconcile, a nonprofit organization that trains at-risk youths to lead productive lives through culinary education and job placement.  For more information or to purchase tickets so you can join me there, check out http://www.louisianacookin.com/