NEW ORLEANS – As Mardi Gras comes to an end, Kitchen in the Garden in the New Orleans Botanical Garden is gearing up with a variety of programming for March.
The events include interactive, hands-on demonstrations, educational classes and chef’s dinners.
Tickets can be purchased through the New Orleans City Park website.
March programming will include the following:
March 3: SABA Pita Demonstration with Chef Cara Peterson
Chef Cara will provide dough for the guests to form into shape and fire their pita in the Kitchen in the Garden oven. Hummus will also be available to snack on and Chef Cara will demonstrate how to make charred leeks in the oven as a topping for the hummus.
March 4: Gotta Love Dem Oysters with Elysian Seafood
Oysters are the quintessential New Orleans seafood. Chefs Brandon Blackwell and Jennifer Sherrod-Blackwell from Elysian Seafood will demonstrate how to shuck oysters, then guests will sample them on the half shell and charbroiled, and learn to make the sauces that accompany these briney treats. Beer will be served with this program.
March 5: Dinner in the Garden with Chef Ryan Prewitt of Pêche
This special evening begins with a cocktail hour followed by an upscale three-course family style dinner with wine pairings led by Chef Ryan Prewitt of the award winning Pêche Seafood Grill.
March 8: Poppy Tooker’s Drag Queen Brunch
Poppy Tooker literally wrote the book on Drag Brunches. On March 8, she’s bringing the beautiful Drag Queens to the Kitchen in the Garden. The Spring Queen Brunch will be hosted by queens Debbie with a D, Laveau Contraire and Cucci Licci. The Brunch will feature bottomless mimosas and Poppy’s recipes from her book prepared by Chef Pat White of Karibu Kitchen.
March 10: Chef Series Dinner with Stephen Stryjewski of Link Restaurant Group
Winner of the 2011 James Beard Foundation “Best Chef South,” Stephen Stryjewski is Chef/Partner of New Orleans’ award winning restaurants Cochon, Cochon Butcher, Pêche Seafood Grill, Calcasieu – a private event facility, La Boulangerie – a neighborhood bakery and café, and Gianna. Stephen will be the chef for a special sit-down dinner at our Kitchen in the Garden.
March 11: Gris Gris with Chef Eric Cook and Bar Manager Ethan Skaggs
Gris Gris is coming to the Kitchen in the Garden to demonstrate a delicious New Orleans inspired dish and a garden cocktail. Chef Eric Cook and Bar Manager Ethan Skaggs will share a little magic with a hands-on demonstration and taste test of both.
March 14: Beekeeping, the Hive and the Honeybee
This seminar involves a live observation hive and honey tasting from Slidell’s Honey Island Hives apiary. Instructor Maureen Schenker of Honey Island Hives will talk about the basics in beekeeping.
March 18: Morgan Angelle of Bellegarde
Morgan Angelle will conduct a hands-on demonstration of Bellegarde’s most popular breads, explain how to maintain and work with a sourdough starter and demonstrate shaping. Participants will learn how to recreate these breads and will taste some, as well.
March 24: Chef Series Dinner by Marjie’s
Marjie’s is known for its bold flavors and playful menu pulling from Southern BBQ smoke and tangy sweet Asian influences. Chef Marcus Jacobs will prepare a three-course dinner. Wine will be served during this sit-down dinner.
March 31: Japanese Tea Discovery Class and Tour
Gachi and the New Orleans Botanical Garden bring an eye-opening tea experience to the Kitchen in the Garden. In this Japanese Tea Discovery Class, attendees will taste a selection of teas produced on small scale farms in Wazuka, Japan and cherry blossom tea from the Japanese seaside town of Odawara, Kanagawa. Gachi founder, Mimsie Ladner, will share with guests the stories behind the teas, from the people who grow them, to tips on how to prepare and best enjoy Japanese tea. A selection of traditional Japanese tea sweets will also be tasted.
Following the class, the attendees will have a personal tour of the Yakumo Nihon Teien Japanese Garden in the New Orleans Botanical Garden, led by landscape architect Robin Tanner who designed and built the garden. The Japanese Garden serves as a natural setting for Japanese arts such as bonsai, ikebana, and sado (tea ceremony), and also increases the awareness and appreciation of Japanese culture, aesthetics and love of nature among all people in the New Orleans area.