ABOUT
BATON ROUGE
HAS SOUL
This years' festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19 at EBRPL-Main Library at 7711 Goodwood Boulevard. This 2-day annual festival is family oriented event and provides entertainment, a kid friendly environment and good soul food cooking. It creates an opportunity for the people of Louisiana and surrounding areas a place to show off their soul food cooking skills in several categories in a judged competition, as well as showcase their talents in the entertainment and arts and crafts fields.
2024 Soul Food Cooking Contest Winners
Meats and Fish
1st Place
Heart 2 Soul Nola-Fried Ribs
2nd Place
Oh! My Goodness Catering & Take Out
Pork Ribs
3rd Place
Meat Master’s BBQ-Pulled Pork
Vegetables and Sides
1st Place
Angel Weeks-Ottie’s Pimento Cheese
2nd Place
Oh! My Goodness Catering & Take Out
Baked Beans
3rd Place
Heart 2 Soul Nola-Lobster Mac and Cheese
Desserts
1st Place-Heart 2 Soul Nola
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
2nd Place-Carr’s Praline Candy
Mouse Ears
3rd Place-The Desert Experience
Apple Caramel Pecan Cheese Cake
The New Ethel's Snack Shack
The Pioneer Award
2024 Award Honoree
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The Pioneer Award was established, by the Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival, to acknowledge outstanding contributions to the soul food industry.​
This years’ Pioneer Award Recipient is The New Ethel's Snack Shack in Baton Rouge, Louisiana operated by Paulette Thomas. The restaurant was founded sixty-nine years ago and taken over by Paulette Thomas in 2012.
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Some of its most popular dishes are Red Beans and Rice, Smothered Turkey Neck with Corn Bread Dressing, Smothered Pig Tails with rice and gravy and Paulette’s Lasagna. These recipes, along with the rest of the menu, were handed to Paulette from her mother who cooked for her and her five brothers every night.
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It is located at 1553 Fairchild Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70807 and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 4:30pm.
For more info please log on to https://www.facebook.com/p/The-New-Ethels-With-The-Perfect-Taste-100075911992270/.
The Award Presentation will take place Saturday, May 18 at 4:50pm.
