The NOCCA Institute’s ART OF THE FEAST: October 2011 edition!

Join The NOCCA Institute as we celebrate NOCCA’s new Culinary Arts program with a city-wide series of events! From October 11 – 25, you’ll have the opportunity to sample dishes inspired by a NOCCA student, catch up on episodes of long-lost TV series Frank’s Place about a fictional New Orleans restaurant, and even become a NOCCA student for two unforgettable afternoons. Follow the links below for more information:

• A screening of Frank’s Place with actor Tim Reid, series creator Hugh Wilson, author Lolis Elie, and moderator Poppy Tooker. Reception to follow.
• “Gourmet Gifts from the Kitchen” cooking class with Chef Dana D’Anzi Tuohy and Caroline Robert
• “A Louisiana Holiday Feast” cooking class with Chef Frank Brigtsen
• “The Dish that Makes a Difference”, featuring a winning dish by NOCCA student Grace Treffinger at 11 restaurants across the city.

October 14 - 25: “The Dish That Makes A Difference”

Last year, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation coordinated the first “Dish that Makes a Difference” event throughout the Emeril’s restaurant family to raise funds for NOCCA’s Culinary Arts program. This year, the Foundation wanted to broaden the impact and open it up to more restaurants across the city.

And so, The NOCCA Institute sponsored a recipe contest for NOCCA’s Culinary Arts students, and chefs and restaurateurs from across the city came to NOCCA to evaluate the three finalists’ dishes. When all was said and done, senior Grace Treffinger walked away with top honors for her Chipotle Braised Pork with Poblano Maque Choux and Satsuma Marmalade.

Now, you can taste Grace’s creation yourself – and you’ll be helping NOCCA when you order it! The dish will be featured on dishes at restaurants across New Orleans from October 14 – 25, and a portion of proceeds from the sale of the dish will go to NOCCA’s Culinary Arts program.

Grace has given each participating chef license to interpret her winning recipe so that it matches the cuisine of these very different restaurants. That means you can eat in all 11 restaurants, and you’ll experience 11 different versions of Grace’s outstanding dish! Participating restaurants include:

Bayona
430 Dauphine Street
504-525-4455  
www.bayona.com

Brigtsen’s Restaurant
723 Dante Street
504-861-7610  
www.brigtsens.com

Broussard’s
819 Conti Street
504-581-3866
www.broussards.com

Eat New Orleans
900 Dumaine Street
504 522 7222
www.eatnola.com

Emeril’s Delmonico
1300 St. Charles Avenue
504 525 4937 
www.emerils.com

Emeril’s New Orleans
800 Tchoupitoulas Street
504 528 9393
www.emerils.com

Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Uptown
615 South Carrollton Avenue
504-866-5900  
www.louisianapizzakitchenuptown.com

NOLA Restaurant
534 St. Louis Street
www.emerils.com

Red Fish Grill 
115 Bourbon Street
504-598-1200  
www.redfishgrill.com

Vacherie
827 Toulouse Street
504-207-4532  
www.vacherierestaurant.com

Vizard’s Restaurant
5015 Magazine Street
504-895-2246  
www.vizards.net

Please join us in supporting Grace and her talented peers as they study to become Louisiana’s next generation of culinary artists.

October 15 & 22: Cooking classes with Chef Frank Brigtsen & Chef Dana D’Anzi Tuohy

When people tour NOCCA, their first response is usually, “I wish I could’ve gone to school here.” Well, now they can – at least for two very special afternoons! Join NOCCA’s outstanding Culinary Arts faculty for some hands-on work in NOCCA’s new Emeril Lagasse Foundation Culinary Arts Studio.

October 15, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
“Gourmet Gifts from the Kitchen” with Chef Dana D’Anzi Tuohy and Caroline Robert
In NOCCA’s Emeril Lagasse Foundation Culinary Arts Studio
Cost: $100 • Limited to 15 participants

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW!

Master five fantastic gifts for the holidays – or anytime! Gifts include:

• Three-Cheese Straws (Bleu, Parmesan, and Cheddar)
• Homemade Honey Stout Mustard
• Bananas Foster Biscotti
• Black Pepper Cherry Jam
• Chicken Liver Pate

You’ll work alongside Chef Dana — former Chef de Cuisine at Emeril’s Delmonico in Las Vegas and former Pastry Chef at NOLA — to create each of these dishes, then watch as Caroline demonstrates some unique ideas to package your edible gifts, courtesy of Perch. Best of all, you’ll come home with samples of the goodies you’ve made, as well as the recipes necessary to re-create them in your own kitchen.

October 22, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
“A Louisiana Holiday Feast” with Chef Frank Brigtsen
In NOCCA’s Emeril Lagasse Foundation Culinary Arts Studio
Cost: $125 • Limited to 12 participants

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW!

Join one of New Orleans’ best-known chefs in making a full holiday meal, full of fantastic flavors and traditional Louisiana ingredients. The menu includes:

• Oyster Chowder with Bacon and Fennel
• Andouille Calas with Green Onion Dressing
• Satsuma Salad with Feta, Spiced Pecans, Pickled Red Onion, and Cane Vinegar Dressing
• Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Pan Gravy
• Roasted Autumn Vegetables
• Frank’s Award-Winning Pecan Pie with Homemade Whipped Cream

As with Chef Dana’s class above, you’ll help Chef Frank make (and eat!) these dishes – and you’ll leave with the recipes, too.

October 11: Watch Episodes of FRANK’S PLACE with Tim Reid and Hugh Wilson

A SCREENING OF FRANK’S PLACE
October 11 at 7:30pm
In NOCCA’s Freda Lupin Memorial Hall
Featuring actor Tim Reid and creator Hugh Wilson
Q&A with Reid, Wilson, and Lolis Elie, moderated by Poppy Tooker, followed by a reception
Cost: $15

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TICKETS NOW!

When writer and NOCCA alum Lolis Elie and HBO’s Treme first gave us the opportunity to screen episodes of the short-lived, much-loved sitcom Frank’s Place in 2010, the response from the public was overwhelming. Though the series about a reluctant New Orleans restaurateur only lasted for a year, locals remember it fondly. Join us in NOCCA’s Freda Lupin Memorial Hall for a few more episodes – and be sure to stick around for some Q&A with lead actor, Tim Reid, the series’ creator, Hugh Wilson, Lolis Elie, and moderator Poppy Tooker (another proud NOCCA alum!). Reception to follow with desserts by NOCCA Culinary Arts students and coffee by French Market Coffee.

March 22: Culinary Arts Program Ribbon-Cutting, Reception, And Interview With Chef Emeril Lagasse

Join us at NOCCA on Tuesday, March 22 as we mark the launch of the Culinary Arts program at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts! This reception kicks off several weeks of celebration that we’re calling ART OF THE FEAST, all in honor of this one-of-a-kind program for high school students. There are a limited number of tickets available to this event — order yours today by clicking here, or by calling 504 940 2900.

MARCH 22, 2011
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

5:30 pm
Ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception with Chef Emeril Lagasse

6:30 pm
“Inside the Chef’s Studio” interview with Chef Emeril Lagasse,
hosted by American Routes’ Dr. Nick Spitzer in the Nims Black Box Theatre

ART OF THE FEAST CHAIRS
Joel Dondis
Debra & Jerry Shriver
Leslie Stokes

NOCCA’s Culinary Arts program launches in August 2011. Developed in collaboration with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, the program will offer young artists the opportunity to study with leading master chefs. The program has also been supported by Johnson & Wales University, which has written the first-of-its-kind, four-year Culinary Arts curriculum for high school students.

Press Release: Art of the Feast

In August 2011, Culinary Arts will become the 11th arts-training discipline at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, one of the country’s premiere high school conservatories. Sponsored by The NOCCA Institute, Art of the Feast celebrates this milestone with a slate of activities for students, faculty, NOCCA supporters, and other members of the community.

ABOUT NOCCA’S CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM

Developed in collaboration with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, the program will:

● offer aggressive training to young artist-chefs from across one the world’s richest culinary regions;

● serve a highly diverse student body from every economic and cultural background, from every academic ability;

● connect Culinary Arts training to learning not only in all of the arts, but to science, math, and the humanities.

The program has developed over the course of four summer pilot programs led by chefs from Johnson & Wales University. Johnson & Wales has also written an entirely new, four-year high school curriculum concentrating on technical grounding, aesthetic development, real-world expectations, our regional heritage, and a thorough understanding of excellence in the culinary arts.

The summer pilot programs, curriculum, and kitchen/classroom renovation have all been privately funded by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, joined by the leadership support of Macy’s, the Gustaf Westfeldt McIlhenny Family Foundation, and the Selley Foundation.

ABOUT ART OF THE FEAST

The first annual Art of the Feast features:

● ribbon-cutting ceremonies presided over by Emeril Lagasse,

● public lectures,

● and exquisite intimate dinners created by renowned chefs.

Please join us in supporting Culinary Arts at NOCCA and engaging the passion of the next great chefs of New Orleans!