Louisiana's Culinary Ambassador to the world
Born and raised in St. James Parish, Louisiana, Chef John Folse, CEC, is respected around the world as a leading authority on Cajun and Creole culture and cuisine. Folse grew up in a family of sugarcane farmers and great cooks, learning at a young age to utilize ingredients from the swamp floor pantry of south Louisianaās Bayou Country.
Following the success of his Lafitteās Landing Restaurant in Donaldsonville, Folse expanded into catering and manufacturing. Chef John Folse & Company is one of only a few chef-owned food manufacturing companies in the United States producing custom-manufactured foods. Folse has also branched into catering and events management which he houses atĀ White Oak Plantation in Baton Rouge.
Chef John Folse has producedĀ several cookbooks in his Cajun and Creole series. He hosts his own televisionĀ cooking show, broadcast on public television stations, and his syndicated radio show Stirrinā It Up! can be heard nationwide.
As a Certified Executive Chef, a member of the and past president of the , Folse represents the finest in culinary professionalism and has received numerous awards.
In AugustĀ 2010, Folse announced his partnership with Chef Rick Tramonto and the formation of Home on the Range: Folse Tramonto Restaurant Development, LLC. Their first joint venture, , opened in June of 2012 at 777 BienvilleĀ St. at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans. Restaurant Rāevolution offers modern,Ā imaginative reinterpretations of classic Cajun and Creole cuisine.Ā In November 2014 Folse and Tramonto opened their second joint venture, Seafood Rāevolution, in Ridgeland, MS.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Chef John Folse
- Louisiana Restaurant Association, āLouisiana Restaurateur of the Year,ā 1987
- American Culinary Federation (ACF), āNational Chef of the Year,ā1990
- Johnson & Wales University, Honorary Doctorate of Culinary Arts, 1992
- American Culinary Federation, National President, 1994
- Baltimore International Culinary College, Honorary Doctorate of Culinary Arts, 1995
- Nationās Restaurant News, āProfiles of Power,ā 1995
- Food Arts magazine, āSilver Spoon Award,ā 1998
- American Culinary Federation (ACF), Louisiana Chefās Hall of Fame, 1999
- Antonin CarĆŖme Medal, 2000
- DiRÅNA, Chairman, 2000 ā 2001
- RCA, Board of Directors, 2001
- National Dairy Council, Chefās Advisory Panel, 2004
- RCA, President, 2005ā2007
- National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, College of Diplomates, 2006
- Bocuse dāOr World Cuisine Contest, American Judge, 2007
- Louisiana Governorās Cultural Economic Development Arts Award, 2008
- Southern Foodways Alliance, Lifetime Achievement Award, 2008
- Baton Rouge Epicurean Society, Grace āMamaā Marino Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011
- ¹ū¶³APP, Honorary Doctorate of Commerce, 2011
- BPās Spirit of the Gulf Campaign Leader, London Olympics, August 2012
- Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board, Marketing Specialist 2008, Chairman 2013
- Research Chefs Association, Lifetime Achievement Award, 2013
- St. Josephās Cathedral Community Award, March 2014
- Sister Dulce Foundation Board, current
Chef John Folse & Company
- TGI Fridayās, Procurement Product Development Award, 1998
- Research Chefs Association, āPioneers in Culinology,ā 1999
- TGI Fridayās, āFood Vendor of the Year,ā 2011
- TGI Fridayās, āPurposeful Innovation Award,ā 2012
Lafitteās Landing
- Nationās Restaurant News, āFine Dining Hall of Fame,ā 1989
- DiRÅNA, Award of Excellence, 1996