Louisiana Eats

Poppy Tooker
  • 4.7 (57)
  • Documentary
  • Updated Bimonthly

Louisiana Eats! is a radio show for people who cook and people who love to eat well—all with a Louisiana point of view and Poppy’s distinctive Louisiana voice. In each program listeners join Poppy as she meets people who produce, cook, and eat the foods we enjoy and treasure — exploring kitchens and stores, farms and waterways where favorite foods are produced and prepared. And because Louisianans love all kinds of food, Poppy won’t limit herself to shrimp creole and hot sauce!

  1. 23h ago

    Louisiana Eats: Sampling The Sabor Latino

    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.

  2. Aug 22

    Louisiana Eats: Chef Journeys

    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.

  3. Aug 15

    Louisiana Eats: High On Hemp

    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.

  4. Aug 8

    Louisiana Eats: From New Orleans To The World

    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.

  5. Aug 1

    Louisiana Eats: Kitchen Wisdom

    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.

  6. Jul 25

    Louisiana Eats: French Food Culture

    French culture has always influenced our Louisiana traditions, especially when it comes to food. This week, Louisiana Eats explores that culture – from Parisians' love of chocolate to French porcelain used by princes, dukes, and kings at Versailles. We begin with author Aleksandra Crapanzano. Following the success of her book, Gâteau, she's back to talk about her newest volume, Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights. The book explores France's love affair with chocolate, along with over 100 recipes. Aleksandra also recounts the fascinating history of chocolate in France. Then, we visit the New Orleans Museum of Art, where curator Mel Buchanan gives us a tour of their current exhibit, Sèvres Magnifique, featuring 18th century ceramics produced by France's royal porcelain factory at Sèvres. The collection came as a bequest from New Orleans collector Thomas B. Lemann and features tea sets, plates, and bowls that epitomized the material extravagance of the French aristocracy at Versailles. Finally, we speak with Makenna Held, author of Mostly French: Recipes from a Kitchen in Provence, which is both a cookbook and a chronicle of life in the French countryside, where she runs an innovative cooking school at Julia Child's former home. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

    Louisiana Eats: French Food Culture

  7. Jul 18

    Louisiana Eats: Celebrating International Cocktail Culture

    This week, New Orleans once again welcomes Tales of the Cocktail, an annual gathering of cocktail and spirits industry professionals. In honor of their arrival, we take a look at both a new player in the bar game and an old story about how a traditional favorite made its way into your glass. First, cocktail culture is making a notable splash throughout the African continent. We sit down with Mark Talbot Holmes, co-founder of Ajabu, a twice-yearly festival in Cape Town, South Africa, which highlights all aspects of this burgeoning business. Then, we hear from two-time James Beard Award winner Ted Genoways, author of Tequila Wars: Jose Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico. Ted tells the real story behind the rise of Mexico's tequila industry – a tale that involves building railroads, a world's fair, the Mexican Revolution, and even American Prohibition. At the center of the story is Jose Cuervo, who isn't just a brand, but a real person born in Mexico's Tequila Valley in the late 19th century. His investment, innovation, and some clever maneuverings ensured the industry's survival and eventual flourishing success. Surprisingly, Ted's book is the first biography written on the legendary tequila-maker. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

  8. Jul 11

    Louisiana Eats: Magnificent Meals Of Conspicuous Consumption

    In the late 1800s, industrialization carried the United States into a new era – one of great wealth and elaborate lifestyles for those at the top. It was frequent New Orleans visitor Mark Twain who coined the term the "Gilded Age," which would later be associated with this time of conspicuous consumption. This week, we take a look at the glorious food at the center of it all. First, we chat with Becky Diamond, author of "The Gilded Age Cookbook," who recounts the lavish menus and extravagant parties the uber-rich served up in the late 19th century. Her tome offers more than 75 sumptuous recipes of the period, from salmon en papillote to dainty tea sandwiches, accompanied by full-color photographs of the dishes. Then, we sit down for an in-depth interview with actor and musician Michael Cerveris. The two-time Tony Award winner knows what it's like to live among the outrageous wealth and opulence of late-19th-century America, having played the valet Watson in the television series The Gilded Age. But that HBO drama is a late entry on Michael's long performing résumé. He's also had an impressive run on stage, in both musicals and straight plays. Locals may know Michael from his role in the post-Katrina New Orleans TV series Treme, or as co-founder of the popular Americana band Loose Cattle. Or, maybe, as the guy who lives down the street. Michael regales us with stories of his fascinating career and explains why he made the decision to call New Orleans home. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

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4.7
out of 5
57 Ratings

About

Louisiana Eats! is a radio show for people who cook and people who love to eat well—all with a Louisiana point of view and Poppy’s distinctive Louisiana voice. In each program listeners join Poppy as she meets people who produce, cook, and eat the foods we enjoy and treasure — exploring kitchens and stores, farms and waterways where favorite foods are produced and prepared. And because Louisianans love all kinds of food, Poppy won’t limit herself to shrimp creole and hot sauce!

Information

  • Creator
    Poppy Tooker
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    264
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Poppy Tooker
  • Show Website
    Louisiana Eats

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