Louisiana icon takes chefs back in time in the name of preservation
Chef John Folse has seen more, done more and fed more than just about any other American chef in history.
Cooked for U.S. presidents? Sure.
Cooked for popes—in the Vatican? You betcha.
Opened restaurants on three continents, including the first American spot in post-Cold War Russia with a ribbon cutting featuring both Reagan and Gorbachev? Indeed.
But apart from being a renowned chef, Folse is a master historian and storyteller. And the native of the St. Charles Parish just outside of New Orleans makes it his calling in life to ensure the old-world dishes and cooking techniques he grew up with on the Louisiana bayou are preserved and passed down.
So each of the past four years, Chef Folse hosts a boucherie at his White Oak Plantation just outside of Baton Rouge, where chefs from all over the country gather around cast iron pots and learn how to make historic dishes of the bayou—from hog’s head cheese to racoon and rooster stew and, of course, the New Orleans’ staple: boudin noir.
Folse says: “My purpose for having the boucherie was to preserve this dying food tradition of South Louisiana for broadcast on PBS. We’re dedicated to keeping our food heritage alive by focusing on the educational aspect of the boucherie by teaching others how to make these delicacies.”
In addition, Certified Angus Beef ® brand Meat Scientist Diana Clark and Niman Ranch’s Mark Denittis offered classes on dry curing and hanging meats—just like it was done in the old days.
Nearly 400 guests turned out in total, including chefs from as far away as Boston and Washingon state, to participate in the spoils of the boucherie, either cooking, teaching or eating, with each returning to their homes a little more full, and a lot more educated, than when they arrived.
Chef John Folse, 2019 Boucherie
Chef John Folse assigns cooking stations to chefs who have traveled from across the country to participate in the day-long celebration of old-world cooking techniques and traditions. In total, nearly 400 guests from coast to coast attended.
Certified Angus Beef ® brand Meat Scientist Diana Clark at the 2019 Boucherie
Diana Clark, a meat scientist for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, shows guests at the 2019 Boucherie how to make beef bresaola. The annual event, hosted by noted Creole/Cajun Chef John Folse, brings chefs and food lovers together to ensure old-world cooking techniques and traditions are passed down to future generations.
Whole Hog Butchery at the 2019 Boucherie
Butchers break down a whole hog at the 2019 Boucherie. The annual event brings together hundreds of chefs and food enthusiasts to share and learn traditional culinary traditions and techniques, so that they are not lost to time.
Chef Johnny Poche at the 2019 Boucherie
Johnny Poche, corporate chef for Maggiano’s, led the boudin station at the 2019 Boucherie. The traditional Cajun sausage is one of the dishes the annual event aims to preserve.
Chef Chris Sherrill at the 2019 Boucherie
Chef Chris Sherrill makes raccoon and rooster stew at the 2019 Boucherie, an example of one of the traditional bayou dishes the annual event aims to preserve.
2019 Boucherie Attendees
From left, Certified Master Chef Hartmut Handke, Chef John O’Leary, and the Certified Angus Beef ® brand’s Diana Clark and Bryan Schaaf discuss the variety of traditional dishes and techniques presented at the 2019 Boucherie hosted by Chef John Folse.
Hipolito Sanchez at the 2019 Boucherie
“The Mayor,” Hipolito Sanchez from Chicago, made Certified Angus Beef ® brand tamales at the 2019 Boucherie, an annual event led by Chef John Folse dedicated to celebrating and preserving traditional cooking techniques. Download
Certified Angus Beef ® brand Tamales at the 2019 Boucherie
From alligator to raccoon to beef and pork, the 2019 Boucherie invited chefs and guests to spend a day celebrating and sharing traditional and artisanal dishes, so they’re not lost to future generations. Many of the dishes had Creole or Cajun flair to keep up with host Chef John Folse’s roots, but others, like these Certified Angus Beef ® brand tamales, represented other culinary traditions.
Smoked Louisiana Alligator at the 2019 Boucherie
Guests at the 2019 Boucherie, an annual event near Baton Rouge, La., dedicated to preserving traditional cooking techniques and dishes, had the opportunity to sample a wide range of fare, including smoked alligator.
