Fete Rouge is here

The Capital City becomes the “culinary city” for two days, starting tonight.

Fęte Rouge kicks off the festivities with a sold out Grace “Mama” Marino Lifetime Achievement Award dinner honoring Associated Grocers CEO Jay Campbell at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge. A 6 p.m. gathering will be hosted tonight before the 7 p.m. dinner, which features seven courses. To check out the menu for tonight’s dinner, click here.

Baton Rouge’s premier wine and food festival continues Friday at 7 p.m. with the sold out Food & Wine Fęte, which features wine tastings as well as local chefs preparing their best dishes in a competition. Check out a sneak peek of what chefs are preparing.

Tickets are still available for Friday night’s VIP Fęte du Vin. The 6 p.m.-8 p.m. event allows patrons to sample elite wines from across the globe. Tickets are $200. Proceeds from all events will go toward local childhood health and nutrition programs.

Friday night’s events also take place at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge. With the different location, there is a new vibe and feel, according to Baton Rouge Epicurean Society Executive Director Renée Molbert.

“We’ve lowered the guest count and will have more space, food and wine for everybody to enjoy themselves,” Molbert says.

With the added space, patrons will have extra comfort to taste what the Louisiana chefs are creating. Molbert says she is thoroughly impressed with the dishes on tap for this weekend.

“The chefs surprise me every year with their creativity and passion,” she says. “They start calling me in April, asking when they can sign up. They are pumped about signing on for it because they’re able to make cool dishes they don’t get to make every day. This is an opportunity to get their creative juices flowing. Last year, I had a snapping turtle boudin-stuffed frog leg. I’m from Lafayette, and I haven’t seen that before.”

For more information on Fęte Rouge, visit feterougebr.com.