A TALK WITH CHEF JOHN FOLSE

1. How is this series different from the other 10 you have done with LPB?

Through this series, “A Taste of Louisiana: Our Food Heritage,” Chef John Folse journeys into the past where seven nations blended to form the foundation of Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Cuisine. To understand our food, you must first understand the people who settled here and why they came to Louisiana in the first place. Louisiana’s history (the cultures and the characters) unfolds through the discussion of food, favorite ingredients and treasured customs. From the oldest Native American settlement in North America to the German immigrants who saved New Orleans from famine, viewers will delight in Louisiana’s rich culinary past.

 

2. There is a lot of history involved in the series? What was the source for this material?

Louisiana’s libraries and archives were carefully combed in search of every snippet of food history obtainable. Nothing could have been more exhilarating than reading the journals of early explorers and the letters of Sister Marie Madeleine Hachard, who inadvertently recorded one of the best food accounts of 1700s Louisiana while writing to her father. Louisiana’s story is a riveting tale. This “Land of Louis” was not a drab regurgitation of history, but a provocative tale flavored by the nuances of the coureurs-de-bois, concubines and cassette girls.

 

Of particular importance in this historical food search were The Historic New Orleans Collection; Louisiana State Museum; Hill Memorial Library and Middleton Library at Louisiana State University; Howard-Tilton Memorial Library and Special Collections at Tulane University; Vorhoff Library at Newcomb College Center for Research on Women, Tulane University; and East Baton Rouge and Ascension parish libraries.

3. What did the live audience bring to the shows?

Any actor, entertainer or celebrity chef performs better when there’s an audience to play to. The enthusiasm of the audience members permeated the studio kitchen and was further enhanced by the musicians who represented the various cultures. Audience feedback was imperative to the cadence of the show.

4. How did you select the groups that were featured on the show?

The featured guests were given the first opportunity to invite their family and friends to be in the studio audience. Then, guests were invited through radio, newspaper and LPB.

5. How many cookbooks have you written and how can people get them?

The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine is the seventh cookbook of Chef John Folse. All of his books are available through local bookstores as well as online at www.jfolse.com.

6. Speaking of cookbooks, how long did it take you to research and write your latest book, The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine?

The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine was the compilation of four years of research, two years of writing and a lifetime of experience cooking and sharing Louisiana’s cuisine. A core team of 8 people worked on the project.

7. How many people on your staff does it take to do a show like this and what do they do?

There is a cadre of chefs and culinarians, carpenters, decorators, maintenance crews, producers, scriptwriters, researchers and photographers. Chef John Folse & Company employs approximately 300 people and at least 50 percent of them participate in the production in some way. At least 20 people from the culinary and communications departments are devoted entirely to the project during taping.

8. How do you come up with new recipes?

Reading books and magazines, talking to other chefs and home cooks, traveling and a lot of R&D….which means sampling a whole lot of food!

9. What is the all-time, most requested John Folse recipe?

Probably crawfish bisque or crawfish etouffee.