Local residents and students won’t have to travel about 1,000 miles to New Orleans to find the beads and cuisine of Mardi Gras this weekend.
Instead, Hocking College culinary and hospitality students are bringing Mardi Gras’ Louisiana traditions to Nelsonville for the 25th annual Bourbon Street Bash.
Culinary students will prepare Cajun favorites such as alligator, crawfish, fried oysters, shrimp, seafood gumbo and jambalaya. The all-you-can-eat buffet will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and features entertainment by the Athens High Society Jazz Band.
There will also be Dixie Beer shipped from New Orleans and Pat O'Brien's specialty drinks in souvenir glasses.
Admission not only covers the cost of the food, the band and supplies but also raises money for the culinary and hospitality programs at Hocking College, said Doug Weber, culinary arts professor and managing chef at the Inn at Hocking College, where the event is held.
The Inn has already booked 300 reservations for the weekend, and Weber said the weekend typically brings between 600 and 800 guests.
Students prepare weeks in advance for the dinner, Weber said, adding that the alligator and seafood was ordered almost a month ago.
“A lot of people are having Mardi Gras parties this time of year, so we have to make sure we put our order in to our supplier before everything runs out,” Weber said.
Vegetables also have to be chopped in advance, and culinary students have been smoking andouille sausage since last week, Weber said.
While completing an apprenticeship in New Orleans, Weber said he learned most Cajun cuisine begins with the “trinity” — chopped onions, peppers and celery. The name of the trio reflects not only the city’s culinary customs but also the strong Catholic influence in New Orleans.
“Cajun food is a difficult cuisine,” Weber said. “It’s about seeking that right balance of flavor and spiciness without being too overpowering. We want to keep it authentic.”
The event provides a rare opportunity for students this far north to prepare Cajun food and raises funds for the college’s culinary and hospitality programs.
The party space will be decorated to fit the Mardi Gras theme to keep the event realistic, Weber said.
“We try to recreate the party that’s going on in New Orleans right now,” Weber said. “It’s loud, it’s fun, and it’s definitely Mardi Gras.”
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