37 louisianacookin.com
here is nothing the editors of Louisiana Cookin’
relish more each year than the issue you hold
in your hands. For 18 years, we and the Chefs
to Watch Advisory Board have savored this
opportunity to share the stories of our Chefs toWatch, an annual class of talented chefs who represent
the future of Louisiana’s treasured cuisine.
Each year, we select esteemed chefs from across
the state who personify Louisiana’s culinary fl air and
hospitality through their work. Each member of this
year’s class thrives on the ability to uphold our state’s
tradition of epicurean ingenuity and displays a knack for
originality on the plate.
Th e 2019 Chefs to Watch are Jana Billiot of
Restaurant R’evolution in New Orleans, Andrew Green
of 1910 Restaurant & Wine Bar in Lake Charles,
Luke Hidalgo of Hambone in Mandeville, Breanne Kostyk
of Josephine Estelle in New Orleans, Paige Lucas of Pork
Belly’s Bar & Grill in Marksville, and Martha Wiggins of
the Elysian Bar in New Orleans.
In addition to appearing here in print, a special Chefs
to Watch Awards Dinner is held every year to celebrate
the current class of chefs alongside their families,
colleagues, and former Chefs to Watch, among other
supporters. Each chef prepares a signature recipe,
developed for the occasion. Th is unique dinner—held
Monday, August 19, at Galatoire’s in New Orleans—is an
opportunity for these chefs to come together for one night
only and collectively showcase their talents under one roof.
On the pages that follow, get to know each one of
these exceptional chefs and explore what inspires them
in the kitchen and beyond.T
bysamanthamoats| photographybyjohno’hagansix chefs who are changing the way
we eat, one dish at a time