ARLINGTON, VA – The 84th International Rice Festival (IRF) in Crowley, Louisiana, is the backdrop for the latest episode of
The Rice Stuff podcast.
Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president of communications and domestic promotion and podcast co-host, participated in the festival again this year, taking in all the festival had to offer, but also serving as a judge for the Creole Cookery Contest.
“It was a tough job sampling all those rice dishes before 11 am, but I was up to the task,” Klein said. “They came to the right person!”
Klein shares his experience with show co-host Lesley Dixon on
Episode 32, live now. While in Crowley he also sat down with the 2021 Rice Farmer of the Year, Phillip Lamartiniere; two of the three judges of the International Rice Festival Queen contest; and had the pleasure of interviewing three IRF Queens.
The 81st International Rice Festival Queen, Kathryn Shea Duncan; the 83rd International Rice Festival Queen, Jimi Madison Joubert; and the newly-crowned 84th International Rice Festival Queen, Caroline Elizabeth Hardy joined Michael to share their experiences as ambassadors for the U.S. rice industry.
“I enjoyed talking to two sides of the very prestigious competition,” Klein said. “We had judges talking about their experience and expectations, and then we had winners sharing what it all means to them and how they prepare. The pressure is unbelievable, but these young ladies handle it, are impressive, and do a great job promoting rice, the festival, and Louisiana.”
New episodes of
The Rice Stuff are published on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month and can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.