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LOUISIANA’S APPETIZING ADVENTURES
L OUISIANA ’S APPETIZING AD VENTURES

Louisiana’s Culinary Trails cover the entire state and take you to some of the best local spots we have to offer. Whether you are looking
to enjoy fine dining establishments or mom-and-pop diners, these trails will guide you and your appetite in the right direction. And don’t be
surprised to find some of the best meals in the most unassuming of places.

Our foods connect us to our diverse heritage, one that includes French, Spanish, African and German influences. It is over a meal that we
come together in celebration, whether it’s a Mardi Gras gumbo or simply a Friday night crawfish boil. So please, join in our fun and discover
why Louisiana cuisine is so celebrated.

Louisiana Seafood & Great American Seafood Cook-Offs
The Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off and the Great American Seafood Cook-Off are high-profile competitions, where chefs from all areas and
backgrounds showcase seafood dishes to celebrity judges. These events result in a long-term working relationship between the Louisiana
Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board and the U.S chef community, enabling the Board to build a team of seafood ambassadors across the
country.

2020 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off winner, Chef Robert Vasquez, has nurtured culinary skills from Spain, Mexico, Bermuda, California, China
and Singapore. From French fine dining, to working with German and Swiss chefs, to developing recipes as a part of the Whole Foods
leadership team Chef Vasquez has gained a deep understanding of the production and process of food and how to work with unique ingredients
and techniques. He brings a fresh culinary experience to the Louisiana Northshore at PePe’s Sonoran Cuisine in Covington. To take home the
crown, Vasquez prepared a red snapper, crawfish sofrito that highlighted the quality of Louisiana’s fresh seafood.

2019 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off winner, Chef Nathan Richard of Thibodaux, competed three times before earning his “King of Louisiana
Seafood” title. He then moved on to compete in, and win, the Great American Seafood Cook Off – swapping his previous title for “King of
American Seafood.” He won the judges over with his Crawfish and Goat Cheese King Cake topped with pepper jelly cream cheese, Cajun
Caviar, and crab fat sugar. His inspiration for the dish? Two things: Being born on King’s Day, and John Ed Laborde of Panaroma Foods in
Marksville – the origin of one of the most delicious foods at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Crawfish Bread. Chef Richard is now
with DTB in New Orleans and sells his king cake year-round on CajunGrocer.com.

Understanding the Difference: Cajun vs. Creole Food
When you travel Louisiana you’ll see the terms Cajun and Creole used a lot when describing food. But do you really know what those mean?
Likely they bring to mind gumbo, jambalaya, corn maque choux and remoulade. All are equally delicious, but the recipes can vary widely
depending on the region. Cajun and Creole are two distinct cultures that breed two entirely different and distinct styles of cooking. “Cajun”
originates from the term “les Acadians,” which was used to describe French colonists who settled in the Acadia region of Canada, to later be
removed from their home after British conquest. They settled in south Louisiana in the Acadiana region. This was a largely rural area of the
state and the resourceful Cajuns created unique local cuisine with local ingredients.

The term “Creole” on the other hand describes the population of people who were born to settlers in French colonial Louisiana, typically in
the New Orleans region. Over the years the term grew to include native-born slaves of African descent as well as free people of color. Like the
term itself, Creole cuisine is a blend of the cultures found in and around New Orleans – Italian, Spanish, African, German, Caribbean, and
more. Home to the Port of New Orleans, Creoles had easier access to exotic imported ingredients and spices as well. That’s while you’ll find
tomatoes in Creole jambalaya and not in the Cajun version or why Creole roux is often made with butter and flour and Cajun roux is made
with oil and flour.

No matter your preference, the only place to get true, authentic Cajun and Creole food is in Louisiana.

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