Pushing Envelopes

Yesterday we posted to this argument inducing piece of news. Sure these polls are kind of anecdotal by their very nature and certainly are open to debate. But rather than bask in the glory of being first (like I got to do when following my senior year of college Washington and Lee was voted the number 2 party school in the country (credit Gin Buckets)), lets open a dialogue about how to make New Orleans dining even better.

So here are a few things New Orleans and the surrounding area could do to better our culinary scene.

1) Open a world class cooking school. Yes, Delgado and UNO have great programs and there is a cooking school on St. Charles, but we lack a world class training academy. Newly toqued CIA, Johnson and Wales, and other culinary school grads descend on the kitchens of New Orleans every year to stage and train in our world class restaurants. New Orleans needs a world class culinary training facility. In order to do this, we should examine ways to partner with the CIA (or other schools) to open a branch of their renowned universities right here. This branch would provide opportunities not only for students from around the world to learn how to cook in New Orleans, but conceivably could provide scholoarship opportunities for New Orleans residents.

2) Cafe Reconcile does a hell of a job, let's expand programs like this to take at risk youths off the street and put them into the kitchens and dining rooms of New Orleans. Being a line cook is not glamorous, but it beats the alternatives. And this program works largely because it is not a government program and is run by private individuals.

3) Work with the office of tourism and SOFAB to develop more festivals focusing on food, drink, and eating. One of the most talked about things guests talk about New Orleans is the food, even when talking about things like Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras. Its time for a New Orleans Food Expo, World's Fair Style. I am thinking oysters by the truckload and some sort of parade where people throw rotten mirlitons at each other. Gluttony sells.

4) More reliance on local farmers, fisherman, and cattlemen. The fact that someone from North Carolina can come to New Orleans and fish for speckled trout till his ice chest is full, and a New Orleanian has to eat Trout Amandine with trout from North Carolina is appalling. Lower regulations on commercial fisherman while promoting sustainability and environmental protection. You will have a hard time finding anyone who cares more about protecting environments than someone who relies on that environment for their family's welfare.

Farmer's markets wont save the planet or stop Wal-Mart from knocking down blighted buildings, but it does keep more money in the local economy, does give the eater more options, and does taste better. Knowing where your food comes from can have at least a psychological effect on the end dish. And if the dish tastes better, we all win. End of story.

5) Finally, the next time you meet someone from out of town, buy them a drink and tell em thanks for coming.

Congrats New Orleans and all the bartenders, waiters, managers, cooks, chefs, delivery men, producers, suppliers, and most importantly, eaters. But we can get better.