Chef Frank Brigsten at the New Orleans Crescent City Farmers Market
Later this week I leave for New Orleans with CulinaryCorps, an organization founded by my friend Christine Carroll that I frequently talk about on eddybles. In various posts I have sung the praises of this extraordinary group that takes teams of chefs to New Orleans for a week of intense, and as documented by many participants, frequently life changing work. I've anticipated this trip for several months and am thrilled now that the time is finally here to roll up my chef jacket sleeves, sharpen up my knife and get down to the business of making a difference.

The agenda is an intense one, or as CulinaryCorps described it on their site, it's choc-a-bloc! Each day is packed with activities including a visit to the 9th ward, an area that was devastated by Katrina, dinner preparation for Habitat for Humanity's Camp Hope volunteers, a fundraiser to benefit the Holy Angels Farmers Market and the creation of a celebratory meal to honor the volunteers at St. Rose Outreach & Recovery in Bay St. Louis, MS, a town that met the eye of the hurricane with amazing courage even after many of its residents lost their lives and thousands of homes were destroyed. We will also be working with The Crescent City Farmers Market in partnership with Edible Schoolyard NOLA, an organization that provides urban public school students with a one-acre organic garden and a kitchen classroom in order to promote healthy eating habits and the farm to table concept. We will work with Cafe Reconcile, a group that delivers support and hope to the many citizens of the city still struggling in the aftermath of Katrina. 

This is just a snapshot of the work that we will undertake next week but what is so brilliant about CulinaryCorps trip agendas is that service work is balanced by opportunities for relaxation and fun that only New Orleans can deliver. We will enjoy dinner at Cochon, a restaurant I've wanted to visit for ages. There will be a night of restaurant trailing with some of the best chefs in town. We will have dinner at Parkwood Bakery and a fried chicken lunch at Willie May's Scotch House. There's a tour of P&J Oyster and Emeril Lagasse's headquarters, Emiril's Homebase. We will also pitch in with the restoration work of Antoine's, one of the city's culinary gems still struggling to get back on its feet. Our trip ends with a farewell dinner at The Savvy Gourmet, hosted by New Orleans legend Chef Frank Brigsten.

The trip sounds pretty incredible. doesn't it? Jealous? Don't be. Join CulinaryCorps on one of their future trips and indulge in the high that only hands-on service work in combination with amazing culinary experiences can provide.  Visit the CulinaryCorps website for further details, contact information and a detailed agenda of December's trip. Hope to see you in New Orleans sometime soon and until then, laissez les bons temps rouler!