Next Week: Chinese New Year + Creole Cuisine

Here’s what’s coming up at the James Beard House and around the country:

Monday, January 30, 7:00 P.M. 

F Is for Fusion

These charismatic tastemakers are breathing new life into Asian-American fusion with innovative, cross-cultural concepts that challenge diners’ taste buds. Get a sample of their culinary ingenuity at the Beard House through a provocative evening of reimagined ingredients drawing from their respective heritages.

Tuesday, January 31, 6:30 P.M.

JBF Greens: Baking with Little Cupcake Bakeshop

Join us for our next intimate hands-on baking class with owner Salvatore LoBuglio at Little Cupcake Bakeshop’s Nolita location. Greens members will get the chance to make Little Cupcake Bakeshop’s delicious strawberry and chocolate layer cake and learn expert baking and decorating tips, all while sipping wine and beer.   

Tuesday, January 31, 7:00 P.M.

Sexy Japanese

After years honing his craft in Tokyo kitchens, Rainer Becker brought his thrilling interpretation of modern Japanese cuisine to London with the first Zuma izakaya. Now a global empire reaching from Hong Kong to Istanbul to New York City and beyond, Becker’s mastery of flavors draws diners in droves, regardless of their country of origin.

Wednesday, February 01, 12:00 P.M. 

Beard on Books

At its heart Commander’s Palace, the New Orleans restaurant legend that showcased the talents of Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse, and Tory McPhail, is a family business. And at the top of that family tree is Ella Brennan, the mighty matriarch who shepherded her clan through the highs and lows of decades in the NOLA restaurant scene. In her new autobiography, Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace, the brash and bold Brennan details her journey from her early childhood in the Great Depression to her role as head of a world-renowned restaurant empire.

Wednesday, February 01, 7:00 P.M. 

Celebrating a Legend: Miss Ella

Arguably the matriarch of the New Orleans restaurant industry, Ella Brennan is the driving force behind Crescent City landmark Commander’s Palace and its multiple James Beard Awards. Join us as we honor this Creole cuisine icon through a celebration of Miss Ella’s favorite dishes by JBF Award–winning chef Tory McPhail.

Thursday, February 02, 7:00 P.M.

Taste of Paradise

Located next to a 483-acre nature reserve, the luxurious St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort earned the coveted AAA Five Diamond award and was praised as a “World’s Best Resort” by Travel + Leisure. Get a taste of tropical bliss when the resort’s lauded chef, Gustavo Sanchez, presents an elevated take on traditional Puerto Rican cuisine.

Friday, February 03, 7:00 P.M.

Sichuan Sensation: Celebrating Chinese New Year

The year of the rooster is upon us, and so is our annual dinner featuring JBF Award nominee and cult favorite Peter Chang. Don’t miss his return to the Beard House, where he will prepare celebratory Sichuan dishes inspired by his years as a chef in China.