Celebrity Chef Tiffany Derry Joins Louisiana Food & Wine Festival Final Schedule Announced
LAKE CHARLES, La (press release) –The Louisiana Food & Wine Festival, presented by Rouses Markets, hosted by Visit Lake Charles, September 14 – 17, 2023, announced today that Tiffany Derry, TV celebrity chef/restaurateur, will be participating in the festival.
Derry, executive chef/owner of Roots Southern Table, Dallas, TX and Roots Chicken Shak – located in both Austin and Dallas, Texas – and a two-time James Beard Foundation Award finalist, is known for her appearances on “Bobby’s Triple Threat” on Food Network, “Top Chef” on Bravo TV and as a “Master Chef” contestant on FOX TV. Derry will be joining the festival’s Louisiana Inspired Master Classes and possible other weekend festival events.
Additional guest celebrity chefs and talent participating in the festival include: John Currence, City Grocery Restaurant Group, Oxford, MS; Edgar “Dook” Chase, Chapter IV, New Orleans, LA; Meg Bickford, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans, LA; Ryan Hacker, Brennan’s New Orleans, Benchawan Jabthong Painter, 2023 James Beard Foundation Best Chef Texas, Street to Kitchen, Houston, TX; Greg Gatlin, Gatlin’s BBQ, Houston, TX; Mollie Battenhouse, Master of Wine, Jackson Family Wines and more.
The festival just announced its Louisiana exclusive festival alleyways: the “Taste of Louisiana Alley”, presented by Explore Louisiana and Louisiana Seafood featuring destinations and chefs from throughout Louisiana, including Visit The Northshore, Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism and Experience Ruston along with the Louisiana Cookin’ magazine cooking demonstration stage. The not to miss “Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild, Craft Brews Alley” includes some of the state’s most popular craft breweries.
Schedule of Events, with limited tickets still available on the festival website at Buy Tickets:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
“Louisiana’s Celebrity Chef Wine Dinner” 6:00 pm Reception, 7:00 pm Dinner
Presented by Explore Louisiana, Louisiana Seafood, Performance Food Group Company, SOWELA and Taste of the South magazine. Location: SOWELA Culinary, Gaming and Hospitality Center
3841 Sen. J. Bennett Johnston Ave, Lake Charles, LA 70615. The reception will be hosted by the instructors and students of SOWELA Technical Community College, providing mentoring opportunities for ProStart high school students from the Calcasieu Parish School Board. The dinner’s celebrity guest chefs include: include: John Currence, City Grocery Restaurant Group, Oxford, MS; Edgar “Dook” Chase, Chapter IV, New Orleans, LA; Meg Bickford, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans, LA; Ryan Hacker, Brennan’s New Orleans, LA; Mollie Battenhouse, Master of Wine, Jackson Family Wines and showcasing Lake Charles local favorites Amanda Cusey, The Terrace and Rebekah Hoffpauir, The Bekery.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
“Louisiana Inspired Master Classes” The classes take place on Friday, September 15, from 10:30 am – 2:30 pm at SOWELA Technical Community College and from 3:30 – 5:00 pm at Bayou Rum Distillery. A discounted Master Class Pass for all 4 classes is available for purchase for $199 per person. Each class is limited to only 60 people, featuring beverage and culinary tastings for guests included with each class. This year’s featured classes are: “Mastering Creole Cooking”, with Chef Edgar “Dook” Chase, IV with Chapter IV, New Orleans, LA from 10:30 am – 11:30 am; “Celebrity Guest Chef, Tiffany Derry & Master of Wine, Mollie Battenhouse”, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm; “Mijenta Tequila and Cajun Favorites”, with Oscar Valle, Mijenta Tequila Brand Ambassador and pairings with local Cajun Boudin and Cracklin’s from 1:30 – 2:30 pm; the final class takes place at Bayou Rum Distillery, with “Taste the Flavors of Louisiana” with Reiniel Vicente Diaz, Master Distiller, Bayou Rum Distillery, includes culinary pairings and a tour of the distillery, 3:30 – 5:00 pm
“Fire on the Lake” 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Bord du Lac Park, Lake Charles, LA; Location: 1111 Bord du Lac Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601. A quintessential Louisiana faire la fête and a live fire cooking extravaganza with a variety of meats, Louisiana Seafood and more – highlighted by some of the region’s most celebrated Pitmasters, celebrity guest chefs, local chefs and grill masters, along the shoreline of beautiful Lake Charles. Enjoy unlimited food and wine, beer, and spirits tastings with a souvenir glass, along with Zydeco from Horace Trahan & the Ossun Express, on the Paragon Casino Resort Music Stage.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
“Grand Tasting” 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Bord du Lac Park, Lake Charles, LA; Location: 1111 Bord du Lac Drive, Lake Charles, LA 7060. A fun afternoon of culinary and beverage tastings, with live music in the beautiful surroundings of the Bord du Lac Park. Tickets are all-inclusive for food and beverage tastings, including a souvenir glass for unlimited beverage tastings from hundreds of wines, beer and spirits exhibitors, live music from Louisiana’s best party band – the Flamethrowers, on the Paragon Casino Resort Music Stage.
Rouses Markets Cooking Demonstration Stage, presented by USA Rice
- 2:15 – 2:45 pm: Celebrity Guest Chef – TBD
- 3:00 – 3:30 pm: Benchawan Jabthong Painter, 2023 James Beard Foundation Best Chef Texas, Executive Chef/Partner, Street to Kitchen, Houston, TX
- 3:45 – 4:15 pm: Nino Thibodaux, Executive Chef, Rouses Markets
- 4:30 – 5:00 pm: Dustin Frederick, Chef de Cuisine, Restaurant Calla and Ben Herrera, Restaurateur/Owner, The James 710, 121 Artisan Bistro and Restaurant Calla
Louisiana Cookin’ Demonstration Stage
- 2:15 – 2:45 pm: Kristin Preau, Jambalaya Girl, Chef/Owner, New Orleans, LA
- 3:00 – 3:30 pm: Anthony Goldsmith, Kajun Twist & Grill, Lockport, LA and Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism
- 3:45 – 4:15 pm: Owen Hohl, 2023 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off King, Hot Tails Restaurant, New Roads & Prairieville, LA
- 4:30 – 5:00 pm: Michael Gottlieb, Tchefuncte’s Restaurant & The Anchor, Madisonville, LA and Jeremy Reilly, Restaurant Cote’ and The Maple Room, Slidell, LA, Visit The Northshore
The Best Taste Awards, presented by and Acadiana Profile magazine and Louisiana Seafood will take place on Saturday, September 16. Medals will be awarded in two categories: “Professionally Judged Best Taste” culinary awards will take place one hour before the festival opens to the public. The “People’s Choice Awards” will take place from 2 – 4 pm, with attendees texting their votes for their favorites in the following culinary and beverage categories: Best Seafood, Best Creole/Cajun, Best Vegetarian, Best Meat, Best Dessert, Best Overall, Best Wine, Best Beer and Best Spirit. The award winners will be announced on the Paragon Casino Music Stage at 4:15 pm.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
“Sunday Jazz Brunch” 11:00 am – 1:00 pm seating; 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm seating
Presented by Coffee:30/Southlake Theater; Location: 4720 Nelson Rd, suite 110, Lake Charles, LA 70605. This lively festival finale event, the Sunday Jazz Brunch will be one like no other, with an all-inclusive priced ticket featuring unlimited beverage tastings with a souvenir glass, live music, a lavish brunch with carving stations, Coffee:30 signature coffee drinks and beignet station, salad bars, Louisiana Seafood stations, made-to-order omelet stations, variety of desserts and more. A variety of the festival’s official beverage partners will participate with an impressive Bloody Mary Bar, Mimosas, sparkling wines, sprits, wine, beer and more.
Travel + Leisure recently named the Louisiana Food & Wine Festival as one of five “…must-experience festivals across the United States of America”. The festival is a showcase of culinary, beverage, and music that highlights Louisiana’s unique culture and Creole and Cajun heritage, celebrity guest chefs, local chefs, celebrity winemakers/proprietors, artisans, farmers, musicians, authors, local craft spirits and beers, along with renowned wine, spirits, and beer brands from around the world. The festival offers a wide variety of events for all tastebuds and budgets, from wine dinners and tasting events, to intimate master classes.
A limited number of discounted Festival Ticket Packages are still available. Special festival overnight stay rates are available at accommodations partners, the Horseshoe Lake Charles and Springhill Suites Lake Charles.
The United Way of Southwest Louisiana has been chosen as the festival’s Official Charity Partner, with a portion of the festival’s ticket proceeds, along with 100% of the proceeds from the Whiskey & Wine Pull on Saturday, September 16 at the Grand Tasting, donated directly to the United Way of SWLA. The festival is also awarding a portion of the festival proceeds to SOWELA for culinary student scholarships.
There a variety of volunteer positions available, including admissions and general registration, beverage/culinary serving and assistance, wine and food booths set-up, assistance with guest relations/ambassadors, signage and more. Opportunities and roles are available for adults 21 and older to volunteer with the festival and receive free admission to events and more. Details can be found on the festival website, here. Volunteers that participate in a volunteer shift/role for Saturday, September 16 for the “Grand Tasting” or a total of 8 volunteer hours or more leading up to the Saturday, Grand Tasting or Sunday Jazz Brunch, will earn a FREE TICKET to Friday night, “Fire on the Lake”. Volunteers that donate their time for a shift/role for the Fire on the Lake event can earn one FREE TICKET to one of the “Louisiana Inspired Master Classes” or the “Grand Tasting”. Experienced food & beverage volunteers that participate in a volunteer shift/role, serving food or beverages for “Louisiana’s Celebrity Chefs Wine Dinner” on Thursday, September 14 automatically earn TWO FREE TICKETS TO THE GRAND TASTING.
The entire festival schedule of events can be found online at Louisiana Food & Wine Festival. The festival takes place September 14 – 17, 2023 with all-inclusive food and drink tasting events, including over 300 varieties of culinary, wine, beer and spirit tastings experiences and 40+ restaurants. The most up to date festival information is available on the festival’s website and social media channels Facebook and Instagram. Photos available upon request.
