Poppy makes it "Legal"

We have noticed that many of the corporate groups we have met at Savvy have been incorporating some component of volunteer work into their trips to New Orleans. Poppy Tooker likes to call this phenomenon "culinary voluntourism" when the volunteer event involves food. To my knowledge, we were the first organization to formally offer a culinary voluntourism event with the Windsor Court Hotel. One group that we really enjoyed working with was the executive team from Legal Seafoods restaurants. Savvy hosted the executive chefs from 30 or so restaurants earlier this year. The chefs participated in a cooking class with Poppy, prepared several dishes, and then brought the food out to their colleagues who were volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity site. Legal Sea Foods enjoyed the experience so much, the invited Poppy to do a benefit at their Boca Raton restaurant to benefit New Orleans Restaurant Renewal Fund. The fund, started by our friends at Viking Range Corporation, is dedicated to supporting New Orleans restaurant workers in the form of grants and other assistance.

Poppy tells me that Legal Sea Foods raised $10,000.00 from the event! Click here to see a television promo she did for the dinner.

Crawfishin with Mr. Joey

May is Louisiana seafood month at Savvy, and there is not anyone more qualified to school us on the precious crawfish than Joey Fonseca. Dubbed "the wildman," Joey brought us Belle River crawfish that he caught himself and did us the pleasure of boiling 'em up outside of
Savvy. Joey is well known for supplying many of New Orleans' finer restaurants with wild caught catfish, and has become a Jazz Fest favorite demonstrating his fried catfish fillets.

Joey and his wife Jeanne are regular vendors at the New Orleans Crescent City Farmers' Market, and we encourage you to get out and buy some crab meat or other delights.

Sheana Davis is in the house!

The world's a little brighter when Sheana Davis is in town. Sheana is our newest friend who has brought a whole new level of savviness to an already savvy existence. Sheana independently owns and operates The Epicurean Connection, a culinary marketing and education company focused on sustainable top-quality cheeses, brewing, and wine making. With 20 years in the industry and a culinary degree from Santa Rosa Junior College (1986), Sheana’s passion for regionally based and sustainably grown foods radiates into every detail of her work. She sounds pretty Savvy now, doesn’t she??

In town to participate in the NOWFE festival over Memorial Day weekend, Sheana took us through a brief albeit delicious tour of Sonoma wines and cheeses. Click here to see the menu and order. Helping her was our own Jim Yonkus, who spends about one week per month in Sonoma helping Sheana with her popular catering business. We are trying to arrange a savvy trip out to Sonoma to get the behind-the-scenes tour. Keep your eyes out for more information..