In New Orleans, food means everything. It’s the first thing anyone talks about when making plans and it’s at every festival and event.
In a Crescent City wedding, food is like the backup singers to the main entertainment. But, when it comes to picking just the right fare to serve to your wedding guests, it’s important to remember, not all guests have the same tastes.
Chef Evan Benson of Joel Catering says they make sure to have vegetarian options available at every single party. While it’s always good to have multiple food options, coming up with new and exciting vegetarian options can be tricky.
When thinking vegetarian, always note which produce and seafood is in season. Benson says that there is pretty good produce found locally, but remembering and catering to the season is a huge thing.
One of the best options would be to bring in a newer wedding favorite: the food bar or station. The guest gets exactly what they want because they are responsible for building it. Try a build your own veggie kabob, a custom stir-fry or risotto or maybe made to order sushi bar for pescatarians.
If you’re planning a sit-down meal Benson notes to match the veggie entree with the same flavors and spices as the meat option. “Vegetarians still love food, especially in New Orleans,” he says. “They still want the same spice and more flavor than those in other parts of the country.”
Yes you want to spice things up a bit, but don’t forget the classics – they’re classics for a reason. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike appreciate multiple salad and pasta options .
Consider bringing a little New Orleans flavor into the soup arena with a vegetable or seafood gumbo. And don’t count out the delicious cheese display.
For those who want to go all vegetarian, consider companies that specialize in meatless meals or have an sizeable amount of vegetarian style dishes.
Joel Catering
1201 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans
504-827-2400
Food Art
801 Carondelet Street, New Orleans
Shaya Restaurant
Christy Bradley
cbradley@chefjohnbesh.com
http://www.shayarestaurant.com/
Café Carmo
527 Julia Street, New Orleans
http://cafecarmo.com/
DelishNOLA Catering, LLC
(504)756-0051
DelishNolaLLC@gmail.com
http://www.delishnola.com/
Seed
1330 Prytania St. New Orleans
504.302.2599
P.S. Save the date for the June 2016 New Orleans Magazine Bridal Show, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Meet with the city’s premiere wedding industry professionals and plan every aspect of your Big Day from the engagement to the honeymoon and everything between! Click here for advance tickets and additional information.
