Suiting to Think Rice
Sep 18, 2023
LAKE CHARLES, LA – Louisiana is known the world over for its love of revelry and food and the two came together last week for the inaugural Louisiana Food & Wine Festival where U.S. rice was served, sampled, and distributed throughout the weekend. Thanks to generous donations and support from four local USA Rice members – Falcon Rice Mill, Farmers Rice Mill, Kennedy Rice, and Supreme Rice – USA Rice signage and “Grown in the USA” messaging was everywhere.
“USA Rice was the presenting sponsor of the cooking demonstration stage with Rouse’s Markets that saw so many wonderful local chefs making mouthwatering dishes,” said Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president of communications & domestic promotion. “We were also recognized at the kick-off event, a celebrity chef six-course gourmet food and wine dinner to benefit the Culinary Arts Program at SOWLEA Technical Community College.”
For two days, the Bord du Lac park here was turned into a culinary destination, and scores of visitors stopped by the USA Rice booth to sample crawfish étouffée served over U.S. jasmine, talk all things rice, and learn about the Grown in the USA label.
“The festival drew participants from all over Louisiana and Texas and from as far away as Arizona and Michigan,” Klein said. “But everyone had in common their appreciation for U.S.-grown rice.”
The festival crowned chef favorites – both from professional judges and crowd voting. The two winning chefs walked away with medals, bragging rights, and brand new Think Rice chef jackets.