Experience Ruston Blog

Desi Bourgeois Brings a Taste of Ruston to Dallas

Ruston Chef is one of 17 Louisiana Chefs Selected to Participate in Culinary Event this Week
RUSTON, LA (October 23, 2023) – Desi Bourgeois is one of 17 top Louisiana chefs heading to Dallas to
feature the state’s unique flavors in several of the area’s top restaurants. Experience Ruston, the
Louisiana Travel Association, the Louisiana Office of Tourism and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion &
Marketing Board have partnered to present “Louisiana Goes Lone Star” on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 as part of the Louisiana Culinary Trails tourism marketing campaign.

Bourgeois will be partnering with Chef Mike Smith to bring his signature flavors to On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen on Wednesday, October 25 beginning at 5:00 p.m. The special menu for the evening features a Grown and Grazed Bacon Jam and White Cheddar Cheeseburger and a zesty Louisiana Hot Chicken Sandwich served with Collard Slaw.

“We have some strong representation along I-20 for this event, which is great for North Louisiana,” said Bourgeois, owner of Grown & Grazed and the Heard Freighthouse Food Park in Ruston. “I’m happy to be included in such an impressive group and be able to bring our food to the Dallas area. We’re looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and introducing a new audience to what we have going on in Ruston.”

Boasting an exciting food and beverage scene, Dallas is an important regional destination and a savory opportunity to showcase the diverse culinary delights of our State. The epicurean experience of the Bayou State goes beyond just eating and drinking; it is a driving force among Louisiana events and culture. Louisiana Culinary Trails and the premier lineup of top chefs are excited to inspire travel and give Dallasites a taste of what awaits them across the Texas-Louisiana border.

“We’re thrilled to be participating in this unique culinary promotion featuring chefs from all over the state,” said Tori Davis, Director of Marketing & Communications for Experience Ruston. “With the Dallas area being a key visitor market for Ruston & Lincoln Parish, this is an incredible opportunity to showcase what our destination has to offer to visitors across the South. We’re proud to have Desi representing Ruston’s culinary scene and the unique flavor profile of North Louisiana.”

Bourgeois returned to Ruston from Austin where he was executive chef of Google's dining program, working with local farmers in Central Texas. The business community and the Ruston Farmers Market influenced his return, and he brought his “local first” food scene approach from Google, opening Grown and Grazed food truck in 2018. He has since added two more food trucks to his business, and last year their company invested in property downtown to create Heard Freighthouse Food Park. The food park is now home to six food trucks, with plans to add a commissary kitchen, restaurant, bar, fresh bakery and butcher shop next year.

Prior to the restaurant night, Experience Ruston will also be attending the Restaurant Night Media Preview reception, where the Louisiana chefs will prepare the state’s delicious cuisine with fresh seafood featured for key influencers, encouraging media to write about the Louisiana culinary experience. “Food is a way of life in Louisiana. We plan our festivals and events around the culinary seasons, and we are excited to bring a taste to Dallas,” says Louisiana Travel Association president and CEO Chris Landry. “As a neighboring state, destinations around Louisiana are a short drive or direct flight from Dallas. We are excited to have 17 Louisiana chefs in restaurants around the city to whet locals’ appetites and inspire them to make Louisiana their next travel destination.”

Other participating chefs include:
● Angel Lombrage, The Bullfish Bistro, Baton Rouge
● Ross Dover, Palmettos on the Bayou, The Northshore
● Owen Hohl, Hot Tails Restaurants, Louisiana
● Holly Goetting, Charley G’s, Lafayette
● Anthony Felan, Fat Calf Brasserie, Shreveport-Bossier
● Frederic Terluin, Rouj Creole, Baton Rouge
● Richard & Lori Hurst, Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn, Lafayette
● Keith & Nealy Frentz, LOLA, The Northshore
● Damien “Chapeaux” Chapman, Orlandeaux’s Café, Shreveport-Bossier
● Ana Castro, Lengua Madre, New Orleans
● Lyle Broussard, L’Auberge Casino Resort, Lake Charles
● Cory Bahr, Parish Restaurant, Monroe-West Monroe
● Jeremy Langlois, Latil’s Landing at Houmas House, Ascension Parish
● Jason Derouen, Bayou Country Crawfish Trail, Houma
● Brent Daigle, Grady V’s, Louisiana Cajun Bayou
● Grayling Thibodeaux, St. John Restaurant, St. Martin Parish

More information and access to each restaurant’s reservation procedure can be found at
www.louisianagoeslonestar.com. To learn more about the Louisiana Culinary Trails program, visit
www.explorelouisiana.com/culinary.

About Louisiana Culinary Trails
Louisiana Culinary Trails is the collaborative efforts of the Louisiana Travel Association and its partners, offering appetizing getaways and promoting Louisiana by way of its unique culinary scene. Louisiana Culinary Trails takes to the road, showcasing the diverse food experiences throughout the state in major cities across the country. Louisiana Culinary Trails inspires travelers by highlighting the accessibility and epicurean journeys awaiting exploration throughout the state, facilitated by Louisiana tourism and neighboring communities.

About the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau is a destination marketing organization that works to create, preserve and enhance a variety of quality visitor experiences through the promotion of Lincoln Parish. For more information, visit www.experienceruston.com.

Tori Davis

Tori is a Shreveport native who planted roots in the piney hills of Lincoln Parish in 2017. She has a passion for destination development and marketing and aims to spend every bit of her free time making memories with her husband and two daughters. As Director of Marketing and Communications, Tori supports the President/CEO of Experience Ruston in implementing new marketing plans and content strategies to help promote Ruston/Lincoln Parish as a premier tourist destination.