Top chefs from across Louisiana are heading to Nashville for a night of fun and food next week on October 9. During Louisiana X Nashville Restaurant Night, chefs will take over the kitchens of Music City restaurants to create menu items that showcase the culture and cuisine of the Bayou State. Today, these chefs are sharing recipes that celebrate Southern ingredients and Cajun spices. Get to know each chef and try your hand at creating their Louisiana dish!
Stuffed Blue Crab
Chef Jeffery Hansell |Oxlot 9| Covington, Louisiana
Chef Jeffery Hansell has received much-deserved recognition for this Gulf-inspired Southern fare dished out at Covington’sOxlot 9. This small-town eatery is tucked inside the restored Southern Hotel. Seasonal ingredients highlight the flavors of the region, and Chef Hansell’s approach celebratesthe heritage of the South in his regional cuisine. Let the stuffed blue crab recipe transport you down to Louisiana! Click here to see recipe.
Smothered Chicken
Chef Russell Davis | Eliza Restaurant & Bar | Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Although not a native of the South, Chef Russell Davis knows his way around a Southern-inspired kitchen. After years of cooking in New Orleans, Chef Davis opened a restaurant alongside his wife. Eliza Restaurant & Bar, named for their daughter, Eliza, is committed to local seafood and scratch cooking. The contemporary Creole cuisineranges from Louisiana crab cakes, shrimp remoulade and fried green tomatoes.Chef Davis’ smothered chicken is a flavorful dish with an unbeatable roux. Click here to see recipe.
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Seafood Au Gratin
Chef Alex Robertson Mancuso & Chef Jon Gimber | Miss Kay’s Sweets & Eats | West Monroe, Louisiana
Alex Robertson Mancuso and Jon Gimber, south Louisiana natives and granddaughter and nephew of “Duck Dynasty”‘sPhil & Kay Robertson, know a thing or two about Louisiana cuisine. Chef Mancuso brings her pastry skills and a degree fromthe Louisiana Culinary Institute and Chef Gimber his expertise in Cajun and Southern food. Together, they create standout dishes, such as this seafood au gratin! Click here to see recipe.
Broiled Oysters with Bone Marrow Herb Butter
Chef Ryan Trahan | Blue Dog Café | Lafayette, Louisiana
Chef Ryan Trahan is no stranger to the Louisiana culinary scene and as of late is sharing his talentsin the kitchen ofBlue Dog Café.He is known — and celebrated — for his inventive cuisine. Recently namedLouisiana King of Seafood 2018, Chef Ryan went on to win the title of American Seafood King at the 15th Annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off. Nothing says Louisiana like oysters, and Chef Trahan elevates this decadent dish by adding bone marrow herb butter. Click here to see recipe.
Louisiana Crab Cakes
Chef Justin Ferguson | BRQ Seafood & Barbecue | Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Chef Justin Ferguson returned to his hometown aftercompleting two tourswith theArmy, graduating from the Louisiana Culinary Institute and overseeing four restaurants in Chicago. Back in theBayou State, Chef Ferguson is gaining attention for his Southern seafood and barbecue spot he opened last summer. Today, he shares his crab cake recipe, which showcases his love of his home state. Click here to see recipe.
Chicken and Andouille Sauce Piquante with Tasso
Chef Lyle Broussard |Jack Daniels Bar & Grill, L’Auberge Casino Resort | Lake Charles, Louisiana
Chef Lyle Broussardis known for his Cajun and Creole flavors that are evident of the culture and cuisine of southwest Louisiana.Chicken and andouille sauce piquante with tasso is an authentic Cajun dish that allows the ingredients to shine.A little bit of heat from the peppers and saltiness from the tasso give this dish a winning combination of flavors. Click here to see recipe.
Meatball Stew
Chef Madonna Broussard | Laura’s II Café | Lafayette, Louisiana
Chef Madonna Broussard followed in her grandmother’s footsteps to serve soul food to hungry Louisianans. ChefBroussardfollows her grandmother’s recipes from herlunch restaurant, which she started in her home kitchen in 1968. Laura Williams Broussardstarted a family tradition of cooking that her daughter-in-law and Chef Broussardcontinued. The family recipes are well-loved by everyone who tries then — and we can see why. This meatball stew has our mouths watering! Click here to see recipe.
Blackened Cajun Shrimp Tacos
Chef Kevin Thompson | Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar at Golden Nugget | Lake Charles, Louisiana
Chef Kevin Thompson attended the Culinary Institute of America and cooked in the army for three years, before sharing his talents with diners atHarrah’s Casino, Paragon Casino, Isle of Capri and L’Auberge Casino Resort. He is now Executive Chef ofCadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar, which is known for its outstanding Mexican dishes. In his blacked Cajun shrimp tacos, Louisiana meets Mexico with Cajun seasoned shrimp that is topped with avocado salsa and served in a tortilla. Click here to see recipe.
Pimento Deviled Eggs
Chef Cody Carroll and Chef Samantha Carroll | Sac-au-lait and Hot Tails | New Orleans & New Roads, Louisiana
Chef Cody and Chef Samantha Carroll have successfully opened not one, but two restaurants, in Louisiana. The first,Hot Tails, opened in a former drive-thru space in 2010 and serves rustic, South Louisiana-style cuisine.Sac-au-lait, their second restaurant, opened five years later in an old cotton mill in New Orleans. The dishes promise a modern take on Acadian and Cajun cuisine. This dynamic duo treats us to their pimento deviled eggs recipe, which offers a taste of Louisiana. Click here to see recipe.
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Coquette Remoulade
Chef Michael Stoltzfus and Chef Kristen Essig | Coquette | New Orleans, Louisiana
Coquette sits in New Orlean’s Garden District with Chef Michael Stoltzfus at the helm. Since he opened the restaurant in 2008, Chef Stoltzfus has been serving an ever-changing menuthat marries Southern flavors and ingredients with international inspiration. Chef Kristen Essig joined the team as co-chef and partner in 2016. Together, Chef Stoltzfus and Chef Essig create memorable dishes in a delightful setting.Currently, at Coquette, you can find the remoulade served with grilled gulf shrimp and fried green tomatoes. Thanks to the chefs for sharing this recipe, you can serve the remoulade at home on anything your heart desires! Click here to see recipe.
Pimento Cheese
Chef Keith Frentz and Chef Nealy Frentz | LOLA | Covington, Louisiana
After Katrina,Keith and Nealy Frentz, who met while working as sous chefs at Brennan’s Restaurant, moved toKeith’s hometown of Covington to open their own restaurant.LOLA, which quickly became a Covington staple,showcases the knowledge the pair gained from Brennan’s and their love of all things local.LOLA sits in the city’s historic train depot and the kitchen in an actual train caboose. It is in this kitchen they craft dishes that impress. One local favorite is the hot mess sandwich with Chisesi ham, house pimento cheese, lettuce, tomato, house pickles on pressed white focaccia. While their pimento cheese is delicious when served on a sandwich, it can also be enjoyed on a cracker — or a spoon. See for yourself. Click here to see recipe.
To learn more about Louisiana X Nashville Restaurant Night presented by the LouisianaTravel Association andGarden & Gunas part of theLouisianaCulinary Trailstourism campaign, click here.
Food images provided by the Louisiana Travel Association.
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About the AuthorAlex Hendrickson
Alex is a Southern writer known for hunting down delicious stories and traveling the world with hunger. Her passions and interests lie in food, travel, interior design and inspiring people, and her dream is to eat a dozen oysters a day.
