The inaugural Louisiana Food & Wine Festival, announced today Rouses Markets is the festival’s presenting sponsor, with Visit Lake Charles as hosting sponsor, September 14 – 17, 2023. The festival is a showcase of culinary, beverage, and music that highlights Louisiana’s unique culture and heritage, celebrity guest chefs, local chefs, celebrity winemakers/proprietors, artisans, farmers, musicians, authors, local craft spirits and beers, along with renowned wine, spirits, and beer brands from around the world. The festival offers a wide variety of events for all tastebuds and budgets, from wine dinners and tasting events, to intimate master classes.
The festival’s guest celebrity chefs included to date include: John Currence, City Grocery Restaurant Group, Oxford, MS; Edgar “Dook” Chase, Chapter IV, New Orleans, LA; Meg Bickford, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans, LA; Ryan Hacker, Brennan’s New Orleans, LA; Amanda Cusey, The Terrace, Lake Charles, LA, David Rose, TV Personality, Chef & Author, with additional talent announced soon.
Louisiana Food & Wine Festival Early Bird discount tickets expire on May 31, 2023 for its signature events. The United Way of Southwest Louisiana has been chosen as the festival’s Official Charity Partner, with a portion of the festival’s ticket proceeds, along with 100% of the proceeds from a silent auction on Saturday, September 16 at the Main Event, going directly to the United Way of Southwest Louisiana.
Schedule of Events
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
“Louisiana’s Celebrity Chef Wine Dinner” 6:00 pm Reception, 7:00 pm Dinner
Presented by Louisiana Seafood, SOWELA and Taste of the South magazine.
Location: SOWELA Culinary, Gaming and Hospitality Center
3841 Sen. J. Bennett Johnston Ave, Lake Charles, LA 70615
A gourmet food lover’s experience with a six-course dinner, featuring a host of Louisiana’s most celebrated chefs including: John Currence, City Grocery Restaurant Group, Oxford, MS; Edgar “Dook” Chase, Chapter IV, New Orleans, LA; Meg Bickford, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans, LA; Ryan Hacker, Brennan’s New Orleans, LA; Amanda Cusey, The Terrace, Lake Charles, LA and additional celebrity guests to be confirmed. Each course will be expertly paired with a wine from the vast portfolio from official festival winery partner, Jackson Family Wines. The dinner will also feature Jackson Family Wines Master Wine Educators, including a Master Sommelier/Master of Wine and national wine brand ambassadors.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
“Master Classes” 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, Presented by SOWELA
Location: SOWELA Culinary, Gaming and Hospitality Center
3841 Sen. J. Bennett Johnston Ave, Lake Charles, LA 70615
A series of interactive and intimate sessions with guest celebrity chefs, cookbook authors, beverage experts, tastemakers, artisans and more – classes to be announced soon.
“Fire on the Lake” 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Bord du Lac Park, Lake Charles, LA,
Presented by Rouses Markets
Location: 1111 Bord du Lac Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601
A quintessential Louisiana faire la fête and a live fire cooking extravaganza with a variety of meats, Louisiana Seafood and more – highlighted by some of the south’s most celebrated Pitmasters, celebrity guest chefs, local chefs and grill masters. Enjoy unlimited food and wine, beer, and spirits tastings with a souvenir glass, along with Zydeco from Horace Trahan & the Ossun Express, along the shoreline of beautiful Lake Charles.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
“Grand Tasting” 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Bord du Lac Park, Lake Charles, LA
Presented by Rouses Markets
Location: 1111 Bord du Lac Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601
A fun afternoon of culinary and beverage tastings, with live music in the beautiful surroundings of the Bord du Lac Park. Tickets are all-inclusive for food and beverage tastings, including a souvenir glass for unlimited beverage tastings from hundreds of wines, beer and spirits exhibitors, Silent Auction, Rouses Markets Cooking Demonstration Stage, Louisiana Craft Brews Alley, presented by the Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild, Best Taste Awards, presented by Rouses and Acadiana Profile magazine, a “Taste of Louisiana Alley” presented by Explore Louisiana, Louisiana Seafood and Louisiana Cookin’ magazine with samplings from some of Louisiana’s best chefs from around the entire state.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
“Sunday Jazz Brunch” 11 am – 1:00 pm seating; 1 pm – 3:00 pm seating
Presented by Coffee:30/Southlake Theater
Location: 4720 Nelson Rd, suite 110, Lake Charles, LA 70605
This lively festival finale event, the Sunday Jazz Brunch will be one like no other, with an all-inclusive priced ticket featuring unlimited beverage tastings with a souvenir glass, live music, a lavish brunch with carving stations, Coffee:30 signature coffee drinks and beignet station, salad bars, Louisiana Seafood stations, made-to-order omelet stations, variety of desserts and more. A variety of the festival’s official beverage partners will participate with an impressive Bloody Mary Bar, Mimosas, sparkling wines, sprits, wine, beer and more.
SEPTEMBER 11 – 17
“Festival Happenings Week”
A variety of tastings, dinners and events taking place in partner restaurants, bars and more throughout Lake Charles during the week of the festival will be announced in July 2023.
The Louisiana Food & Wine Festival takes place September 14 – 17, 2023 with culinary, wine, beer and spirit tasting experiences. The most up to date festival information is available on the website, Louisiana Food & Wine Festival and the festival’s social media channels Facebook and Instagram.
