THE DISH

SAM HANNA PHOTO

Boo To-Dos

Tujague’s is hosting Halloween-themed events this month. First up is the Krewe of Boo Parade Viewing Party (Oct. 22 with balcony access, an open bar, food and private bathrooms). Next up is Poppy’s Pop-Up Drag Queen Brunch (Oct. 23 at 11:30 a.m. with a three-course menu and bottomless mimosas). Finally, Tujague’s is hosting a Witches Luncheon (Oct. 28 with a three-course menu, bottomless mimosas and other cocktail offerings). 429 Decatur St., 504.525.8676, tujaguesrestaurant.com

SOUTHERN STAPLES Vishwesh Bhatt has released a new cookbook, titled “I am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef.” In it, Bhatt references that he was inspired by a variety of New Orleans chefs (such as Nina Compton and Susan Spicer) and the cuisine of the city for these recipes. The book also intertwines dishes from the American South with international foodways. Examples include peanut masala-stuffed baby eggplant and collard wrapped catfish among the 130 recipes featured. These dishes are stars on the menu at Snackbar in Oxford, Miss., where Bhatt has been the executive chef since 2009, earning him a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South in 2019.

Louisiana native, award-winning chef and author Susanne Duplantis also has released a new cookbook, titled “Lagniappe Leftovers.” As an advocate for food sustainability, her recipes show how to use leftovers to create new meals.

Both books are available at Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St., Ste. 14, 504.895.2266, gardendistrictbookshop.com

CELEBRATION OF FLAVORS The James Beard Foundation’s 10th annual Taste America culinary series comes to New Orleans for a pop-up dinner on Oct. 12 at Lengua Madre—one of 20 cities across the country—bringing together chefs and special guests to celebrate local independent restaurants. The cohort of chefs, known as the TasteTwenty, have collaborated throughout the year at chef dinners and walk-around tastings, spotlighting the breadth and unity of culinary creativity across the nation. The menu at Lengua Madre features a multicourse meal created by Chef Ana Castro of Lengua Madre and Chef Yia Vang of Union Hmong Kitchen/ Vinai in Minneapolis. Proceeds from Taste America will benefit James Beard Foundation programs, including the Open for Good campaign, which helps independent restaurants (and the farmers, producers, distributors and local communities they support) thrive in the long-term. jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The Emeril Lagasse Foundation has formed a partnership with renowned Chef Aarón Sánchez to create the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund. The fund focuses on two pillars: culinary arts education and human services programming in order to uplift the lives of Latino youth through food. The culinary arts education pillar diversifies kitchen leadership through scholarships, financial support, mentoring and career pathway guidance, while the human services pillar focuses on changing the trajectory of Latino youth lives through better food access, nutrition education, crisis feeding programs and more. emeril.org