Meet the 2013 Chefs to Watch – Louisiana Cookin’

June 17, 2013

By some estimates, there are upwards of 15,000 places to dine in Louisiana, ranging from mom-and-pop roadside taverns to elegant formal dining rooms high atop plush hotels. It takes a wealth of talent to create the tasty masterpieces that define Louisiana cuisine, and those who choose to make cooking their life’s work are increasingly finding themselves in the spotlight. Rising to the top of the Louisiana chef ranks is not something that happens easily or quickly, and those whose career trajectories are most highly watched, have generally paid their dues to get your attention. For the past 12 years, Louisiana Cookin’ has singled out chefs we believe you should be watching, and those whose exceptional talents are putting our state on the culinary map. These are the 2013 Chefs to Watch.

The 2013 Chefs to Watch include Chris Wadsworth, whose dedication to the farm-to-table prototype keeps his purchasing power within a 50-mile radius of his restaurant; Daniel Causgrove in New Orleans who says he is working toward a cuisine based on the history of Southern cooking, with a twist of the exotic; Bronwen Wyatt, pastry chef at La Petite Grocery in New Orleans, who revels in the creative control she has been offered to create desserts influenced by her time on the West Coast; Alex Harrell of Sylvain, a lively New Orleans gastropub that has distinguished itself by blending its bar and food concepts; Michael Gulotta who journeyed all the way to Germany to hone his craft before coming back to his native city; and Justin Girouard, of The French Press in Lafayette, who perfected his skills at the elegant Stella! in New Orleans before opening his own place and offering truffle fries that are quickly reaching legendary status.

All six of the 2013 Chefs to Watch will combine their enviable talents on October 21 at Café Reconcile in New Orleans to produce the yearly Chefs to Watch event. The partnership between Louisiana Cookin’ and Café Reconcile has been a productive one, raising more than $100,000 for the program, which provides life skills and jobs training for underprivileged youth who aspire to careers in the culinary industries. At this moment, the recently renovated and expanded Café Reconcile may be training future Chefs to Watch. In the meantime, keep your eyes and appetites focused on these six rising superstars.