Men Who Cook and Men Who Mix is River Oaks’ biggest and, no doubt, tastiest fundraiser; it returns on May 21st with much fanfare and dozens of delicious dishes for the sixteenth year. The event invites men—some of which are chefs and food enthusiasts, some just guys that like to whip up awesomeness for their friends—to prepare their best dishes for taste testing by the more than 500 visitors the event brings to the downtown arts institution.
“It’s a ton of fun, from the chefs to the guests. If you want to showcase your culinary expertise or if you want a plethora of taste testing options, we encourage you to attend this annual event—always held on the third Saturday in May!” says Rachael Dauzat, Executive Director at River Oaks. “We guarantee you won’t leave hungry!” she adds in her best Justin Wilson voice.
This year’s Men Who Cook and Men Who Mix, playfully dubbed #MWCAM by artists, has large shoes to fill as the 2015 15th Annual brought record numbers from both attendees and participants. Over 80 chefs and 30 tasting stations brought more than 500 attendees out and at the end of the night, the new champion team of State Representative Lance Harris had much reason to celebrate.
This year’s event is shaping up to be equally awesome, with the following teams representing:
Dr. Tate Peterman & Dr. Mike Smith
Brodie Paul, David Branton & Ernesto Lemoine
Rigby Maupin, David Broussard & Kevin Corbyn – Team Pineapple Express
Kevin Chapman, Keith Chapmann & Jean-Paul Duhon – The Roux Spoon Team
Dr. Michael Leddy, Kevin Garrigan & Bill Partridge – Team Magically Delicious
Chris Soprano, Rick Ducote & Charles Soprano
Paul Tellarico, David Lind & David Michiels
Stephen Reed, Benjamin Lewis & Michael Glass – Inglewood Farms Team
John Maxey, Bryon Salazar & Andy Cutrer – Red River Bank Team
Dr. Jonathan Hunter, Tom Spencer, Judge Dee Drell & Dr. Ken Brown – Team Lagniappe Homecare & Riverside Hospital
Tony Martin, Chad Bordes, Sam Finney & Matt Loyacano
Ray Gill – Jack’s Team
Stuart Tichenor & Heath Grimes
Dr. Bradley Kirzner & Patrick Cunningham – Team Dynasty
Todd Morrow & Matt Ritchie – Rebel Pride Team
William Albritton, Jason Hawk & Lance Lopez – Crossfit Team
Dr. Chad Norton, H.B. Smith & Lance Templeton
Dr. Trey Guillory & Dr. Michael Dole
Randy Welch, Craig Littleton & Randy Ponthie – Southern Heritage Bank Team
Steve Mansour, Lloyd Vaughn & Jerry Wood
Jason Lavergne, Gary Bonnette & Mike Jeansonne – Red River Dermatology Team
John Gunter – Word of Mouth Team
Darryl Monroe, Todd Leleux & Sherman Fookes
Jimmy Lyons, Ted Roberts & Donovan Davis
Eddie Ponce – Mi Tierra Cocina Mexicana Team
Nick Williams, Alejandro Porras & Tommy Cupples – Canterbury House Team
Matt Mabou & Ryan Welch – Team MSquared
Morgan Brewer, Paul Novakovich & Jason Sauve – DEEZ Butternutz Team
Ross Tompkins – Great Raft Brewery Team
“The winner will be determined by the amount of tips a team receives, so we’d like to remind people to bring their dollars…of course it all benefits a good cause!” says Dauzat. “The #MWCAM trophy is highly coveted and competition gets quite heated, so the chefs have fun taunting each other for weeks ahead of time. We guarantee everyone will have a great time.”
The review process for chefs usually begins in February and dishes are reviewed to avoid duplication. Chefs have to provide at least 450 to 500 sample servings and can participate with a dish, drink, or combination of both. The event has been known to sell out in advance for the last four years, so Dauzat recommends buying tickets in advance at River Oaks or from one of the designated tickets outlets. Individual tickets are $50.00 per person ($60.00 at the door, if available) and a few tables for ten are available for $600.
Men Who Cook and Men Who Mix is sponsored by BancorpSouth and co-sponsored by: Wallace Eye Associates; Ashe, Broussard, Weinzettle Architects; Doug Young Nursery; Tish & Babson Fresh; Dr. & Mrs. John Gosserand; Cenla Heart Specialists; CLECO; R. D. Jackson, DDS; Holiday Inn Downtown; Red River Dermatology; Bear Family Dentistry; Alexandria Pediatric Dentistry; and Studio Design by Melissa Gauthier.
For tickets or to be a chef, please contact River Oaks at (318) 473-2670.
While Men Who Cook is the main focus at River Oaks in May, the popular Summer Arts Studio registration process is in full swing and classes are almost half full already. Parents are encouraged to sign up their children soon as spots limited and available on a first come-first served basis. For registration visit RiverOaksArtsCenter.com or call (318) 473-2670.
