NEW ORLEANS – On Saturday, May 21, 2016, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFAB) will unveil “Tujague’s: 160 Years of Tradition.”
The exhibit commemorates the 160th anniversary of the second oldest restaurant in New Orleans and the third oldest continuously operating restaurant in the United States.
According to SoFAB director Liz Williams, “Tujague’s has played a pivotal role in New Orleans cuisine, from serving Butcher’s Breakfasts in the 1800’s to introducing the famed garlicky Chicken Bonne Femme in 1914. The museum is delighted Tujague’s donated such incredible historic works for us to share with the public.”
The retrospective exhibit takes visitors on a journey through Tujague’s history via photos, awards and memorabilia. Guests can take a look at the restaurant’s origins and family tree; learn about the importance of the Tujague’s bar (the oldest stand-up bar in America and home of the Grasshopper cocktail); uncover the ghosts of Tujague’s (some who are said to still be present in the restaurant today); and get an appreciation of the patrons’ significance on the restaurant’s longevity.
In honor of the restaurant’s incredible milestone, Tujague’s will be added to the National Culinary Heritage Register, an expansive list of culinary products, processes, inventions, traditions, and establishments that are at least fifty years old and have contributed significantly to the development of American foodways.
The exhibit is also accompanied by Tujague’s Cookbook: Creole Recipes and Lore in the New Orleans Grand Tradition, written by Poppy Tooker (Pelican Publishing Company, 2015), which can be purchased in the museum gift shop.
The Southern Food & Beverage Museum is located at 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in New Orleans and is part of the umbrella organization, the National Food and Beverage Foundation (NatFAB).
Museum hours are Wednesday – Monday, 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (closed Tuesdays).
