Louisiana Food Prize is proud to announce that their premiere private dining experience, the Society of the Golden Fork, is back for 2020. A new crop of local chefs will be battling it out to be crowned the Food Prize Champion during Prize Fest, September 30 – October 4. Throughout the dinner series, each week’s competing chef will be interviewed to give more background on their experience. This week, we’ll be speaking with Chef Dustie Latiolais.
Like many people born in Louisiana, Chef Latiolais was raised surrounded by a family who likes to cook. He loved watching his grandparents cook, enjoyed hunting and fishing with his grandfather and, at age 14, his first job was bussing tables at his great-uncle’s restaurant in Henderson. He worked at Crawfish Town USA as a line cook before attending the Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge. In 2015, he started his own business called Cochon Cannery.
LA FOOD PRIZE: Tell us who you are, and where we can find you.
CHEF LATIOLAIS: I’m Dustie Latiolais, and I’m the owner of Cochon Cannery. We don’t have a physical location here in Shreveport, but we’ll be doing pop-ups and other events this year.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What do you think is the most exciting part about getting to participate in the Golden Fork dinner series?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: The most exciting part for me is meeting everyone in the community, and getting to know all the chefs and the culinary industry in Shreveport. We are really glad to live here, and are looking forward to being part of the food scene.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What is one feeling you hope people walk away with after experiencing your food?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: I want them to be like “MAN, that’s some great Cajun food!” I feel like being in South Louisiana for so long, that it’s something different here and I have authentic Cajun flavor I want them to experience.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What is one thing you wish more people knew about your culinary skills?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: I’m a Cajun chef, but I’m also a formally trained French chef. I graduated culinary school to be a pastry chef. A lot of chefs aren’t really bakers, but that’s a skill where I have an advantage that most people don’t know.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What food trend has you most curious at the moment?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: I’m very interested to see where the CBD movement trends in the culinary world. When will Louisiana open our doors to this nationwide trend? I can’t wait to see how this sector grows in the near future.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What food trend would you like to see die?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: As someone who accepts all opinions effortlessly, I don’t have any particular trend I don’t like currently. I’ve always been open to trying new and exciting foods.
LA FOOD PRIZE: If you could turn ANY location in Shreveport into a pop-up dinner venue what would it be and why?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: When we first moved here, I stumbled upon this abandoned building downtown that has 3 walls and no roof. I’m not sure of the street name, but I could just imagine having a family-style dinner there under string lights and stars. That place reminds me of home for sure.
LA FOOD PRIZE: Why do you feel events like the Society of the Golden Fork are important for culinary professionals and the community?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: These types of events are a great way to showcase talented, up-and-coming chefs in our community. Having guests that want to be adventurous and invest in the culinary world and community is something that is to be cherished by all involved.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What can we expect from you in 2020?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: We will be doing pop-ups at Great Raft, the farmer’s market, and other locations this year. We are excited to introduce Shreveport to our Bacon Jam, Apple Bacon Butt Rub, Pork Skins, and the other flavored jams we offer.
LA FOOD PRIZE: Finally, what makes Cochon Cannery unique?
CHEF LATIOLAIS: We use and make everything bacon. Bacon has been really big on the food scene for a few years, but to can it and jar it and use it in all the ways that we do shows a lot of flexibility. People also enjoy our line of pork skins and seasonings.
ABOUT OUR DINNER SERIES
The Society of the Golden Fork brings 18 local chefs together for two private dinner sessions of 9 chefs each, filled with unique, off-the-menu experiences. Our program encourages participating chefs to flex their skills and test drive new culinary concepts before a limited audience of dialed in food lovers. However, it’s not just a private dinner club. Our chefs are in competition, further pushing them to develop thoughtful and exciting flavors that will make their meals memorable. Members of the Society of the Golden Fork judge each meal based on Taste, Presentation and Showmanship.
The four chefs from each session with the top scores move on to the semifinals, where they compete LIVE in front of a screaming audience to become our Battle for the Golden Fork contestants at Prize Fest in the fall. They’ll duke it out in the grand finale “Chopped-style” showdown for $5K, the title of Food Prize Champion, the Golden Fork trophy and bragging rights for the year.
Want to get in on the action of the Society of the Golden Fork series? Email Steven Knight at steven@prize.foundation for more info and to get on our waiting list for spots in the dinner series.
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