Chef Paul Dupré will kick off the Culinary Arts Series hosted by the Hammond Regional Arts Center.
Courtesy of Phillip Colwart

Chefs will have a chance to display their dishes at the Hammond Regional Arts Center’s Culinary Arts Series. 

“The Culinary Arts Series is part of HRAC’s annual programming and one of our major fundraising events,” said Tara Bennett, the media coordinator of the HRAC. “This is an excellent opportunity for an off-menu experience showcasing the acclaimed chefs of our region.”

CAS’s 2017 season has already been sold out for the months of May, June, July and August.

“The Culinary Arts Series is one of the premiere events the Hammond Regional Arts Center organizes each year,” said Bennett. “It offers guests an opportunity to see how food is prepared and developed all right before their eyes.”

There are still available tickets for the “Coming Home” dinner which will be held on Sep. 11. Each dinner consists of different courses that are prepared in front of the audience. 

“We present five dinners every year with a different chef for each one,” said Bennett. “They prepare three or four courses while explaining the various techniques shown in creating them. When they are done, the dish is served to the audience. We usually have either a salad or appetizer, a main course and dessert for every dinner. There are wines to go with the meal as well.”

The first CAS dinner will be prepared by Chef Paul Dupré, owner of mid-city Baton Rouge restaurant and pie shop Elsie’s Plate & Pie.

“Chef Dupré is our first featured chef of the season, and we’re excited to bring him to Hammond as attendees of the May Culinary Arts Series dinner will be one of the first groups of people to try his delicacies,” said Bennett.

Dupré will be preparing dishes including 3-cheese Smoky Pimento on Crostini, Seafood La Fourche Bisque, Poulet Pot Pie and Banana Foster’s Cream Pie.

Chefs of all ages are able to attend and take advice from the presenting chefs as an opportunity to further their education.

“Aspiring young chefs in the audience will be able to hear tricks of the trade from these seasoned professionals and will have chances to have their personal culinary questions answered,” said Bennett. “It’s like being in the audience for a cooking show.”

This year, Chef Tommy Wong of Trey Yuen will present his dinner on Jun. 12, Chef Joshua Garic of Jacmel Inn will present on Jul. 10 and Chef Tommy Masaracchia of Tope Là will present on Aug. 14.

“While the format doesn’t change, each Culinary Arts Series dinner is never the same,” said Bennett. “One chef’s talents may lie in one genre of cooking, but it does not mean that is what you will be served. An Italian chef may decide he wants to put his spin on a dish from France or Japan. It’s a great chance for chefs to play.”

The CAS has been around for years and aims to bring the community together over food.

“This Hammond tradition is celebrating two decades of creating and experiencing delicious cuisine,” said Bennett. “Back in 1997, it was formed to raise awareness of the work that goes into culinary art to showcase the level of southeast Louisiana’s regional talent and present art in a way outside of the realm of paintings and sculptures.”