Every city’s cuisine has unique influences that mesh together and make it what it is today. That’s nothing new. But few cities are as complex and rich and world-renowned for their food than New Orleans. And while some visitors imagine New Orleans cuisine to be primarily a mix of creole and cajun, it’s considerably more.
For one, the birth of Louisiana differed from that of many other states, and this instigated the unique trajectory New Orleans would continue on as time passed. “The rest of the American frontier was conquered by Americans,” says Lolis Elie. “But Southern Louisiana had already been conquered by the French; there was already a ‘modern’ culture in place. When you take the best cooks from Europe, and the best cooks from Africa, you get the best food.”
Thus, the influences from centuries past, the shift that happened after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the relatively recent influx of disparate cultures (namely Latino and Vietnamese) have all shaped the food of the city into something beyond a standard definition, yet also still inherently “New Orleans.”
In this presentation, I’ll explore the influences that shaped New Orleans cuisine, key dishes of the city, how the food represents the culture and identity of those who live there and vice versa. Ultimately, I’ll answer the questions, “What makes New Orleans cuisine unique from anywhere else”?
About the presenterReine Bouton
Reine is an Associate Professor at Southeastern Louisiana University. She teaches American and Southern literature, travel writing, and creative nonfiction. She lives in New Orleans.