Theresa Adams
February 28, 2011Henry remembered for priorities
March 2, 2011
Renowned New Orleans chef John Besh and distinguished visiting chef Michael Gulotta are the focus of the 14th annual Lafcadio Hearn Dinner and Distinguished Visiting Chef Series at Nicholls State.
The John Folse Culinary Institute presents the event March 14. A cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m., in the Cotillion Ballroom of the Bollinger Memorial Student Union.
Besh is the proprietor of six New Orleans restaurants – Restaurant August, Besh Steak, LŸke, La Provence, American Sector and Domenica – as well as LŸke San Antonio River Walk in San Antonio, Texas. He also created Besh Restaurant Group Catering; a line of gourmet products; and penned the cookbook, “My New Orleans.”
The executive chef has been named one of the “Top 10 Best New Chefs in America” by Food and Wine magazine. He also received the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Southeast in 2006 and Food Arts’ Silver Spoon Award in 2009 for revitalizing the culinary legacy of New Orleans. Besh is a frequent guest chef on NBC’s Today Show, the Food Network and the Sundance Channel.
The former U.S. Marine also partnered with Baton Rouge-based emergency reconstruction specialists Arkel International to create ready-to-eat meals for distribution to thousands of emergency response teams and sustained strategic operations in the U.S. and around the world. As a result of his far-reaching efforts, the Louisiana Restaurant Association named him Restaurateur of the Year in 2008.
Gulotta, a graduate of the John Folse Culinary Institute, trained under Chef Besh. He serves as Chef de Cuisine of Restaurant August.
Gulotta’s award-dinner menu features jumbo Gulf shrimp with pickled mirliton, spicy remoulade and petite greens; cane syrup-glazed Mangalitsa pork belly with Louisiana crawfish, Becnel’s blood orange, picholine olives and green garlic; blanquette de veau, a slow-cooked breast of veal with handmade sweet potato tortelli and morel mushrooms; and Pontchatoula strawberry and Meyer lemon Streusselkuchen with strawberry Creole cream cheese ice cream.
For ticket information, call (985) 449-7114. Tickets must be reserved by Monday, March 7.
Lafcadio Hearn, the man for whom the event is named, was born on the Greek Island of Lefkas. He arrived in Louisiana in the late 1800s, and wrote a series of books and articles that introduced New Orleans to the world. Hearn’s philosophy was simple: one must preserve and promote the cuisine and culture of a region for future generations. He is honored annually for his contributions toward documenting New Orleans’ Creole roots.
Renowned New Orleans executive chef John Besh is the honoree at the John Folse Culinary Institute’s 14th annual Lafcadio Hearn Dinner March 14.
