Restaurant Hosts “Bayou” Party and Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser

[caption id="attachment_14572" align="aligncenter" width="802"] Crawfish from last year's Bayou Party.[/caption]

By: Sharon Aron Baron

Not only will food lovers enjoy the traditional Louisiana cooking at the Bayou party at The Cook & the Cork restaurant, young local chefs become the recipients of culinary scholarships at this fundraising event.

This years Bayou party, held on the half acre site of the restaurant will feature Louisiana’s culinary riches including gumbo, jambalaya, barbecue, crawfish, and oyster bar, with wines and beers to match. Orange Sunshine will play live music, along with Zydeco performers and interactive games for the whole family.

[caption id="attachment_14573" align="alignright" width="347"] Serving up jambalaya.[/caption]

Along with the food and festivities, the restaurant will be hosting the third Annual Young Culinarian Scholarship Foundation fundraising event headed up by owners, Chef Keith Blauschild and Dena Lowell.

“Our Young Culinarian Scholarship Fund helps local high school students, plus non-locals with financial need attend the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the world's premier culinary college,” said Dena Lowell.

Last year's event raised $3300 and was divided between two scholarships, the ”Side Towel Scholarship", given to current CIA students who show exceptional talent but do not have the financial ability to finish their education and the "Run for Your Knives" scholarship. 

Coral Springs resident Charlie Weintraub received the Side Towel Scholarship, and is now an alumni of the school. He attended Stoneman Douglas and Coral Springs High School. “Charlie started as an apprentice in our kitchen when he was 14,” said Lowell. 

Another local school student from Coral Glades High School, Josh Thomas, started apprenticing at The Cook & The Cork kitchen during his senior year of high school. He was accepted to the CIA, and has received an Alumni Referral Scholarship of $1000. Josh deferred his acceptance to work another year at The Cook and The Cork before he heads to New York. 

Local student Harrison Kantor attended West Broward High School. and apprenticed in their kitchen since the age of 14. He attended the CIA, and was also a recipient of the Alumni Referral Scholarship, as well as the Side Towel Scholarship. 

Lowell said their kitchen is a culinary lab - a place for chefs of all ages to learn and be mentored. 

“We are currently working with a Master Butcher, a gentleman in his senior years who is a professor at Johnson & Whales University. Chef Alan Lazar has taught our young chefs and student interns how to properly break down an entire animal. They have worked on whole pigs, chickens, wild boars, salmons, game hens, ducks and venison. They also perfect their charcuterie skills with him.”

The Bayou Party will be held Sunday, May 1, 2016, 12 p.m.-5 p.m. $25. per adult $10. kids 14 and under. Includes unlimited food. All beverages sold separately.. Bring your chair and stay all day.   Buy tickets here.  

Proceeds from this year’s event will be awarded to The Culinary Institute of America's (CIA) Alumni Scholarship Foundation. The CIA is the world’s premiere not-for-profit culinary college in the United States.