Dive into the heart of Louisiana's culinary soul as we witness an epic Gumbo vs. Etouffee showdown! Hosted by the vibrant Taylor Payton, aka The Hungry Homegirl, this live cooking demonstration at Essence 2026's Food and Wine Experience brings together culinary titans Chef Bunny and Chef Ashley Jonique.
Prepare your taste buds for a captivating exploration of two iconic Creole dishes. Learn the deep-rooted traditions, intricate techniques, and heartwarming stories that make gumbo and etouffee pillars of community gatherings and family heritage.
From Chef Ashley's cherished family recipe perfected over 15-20 years to Chef Bunny's masterful creations, you'll uncover what elevates these classics to perfection. Judged by the esteemed Valerie Lomas, author of "Life is What You Bake It," and Wild Wayne, the voice of New Orleans, this is a true celebration of flavor and culture.
Join us as we explore the origins, savor the aromas, and crown the champion in this delicious culinary battle.
#GumboVsEtouffee #EssenceFest #LouisianaCuisine #FoodieBattle
Prepare your taste buds for a captivating exploration of two iconic Creole dishes. Learn the deep-rooted traditions, intricate techniques, and heartwarming stories that make gumbo and etouffee pillars of community gatherings and family heritage.
From Chef Ashley's cherished family recipe perfected over 15-20 years to Chef Bunny's masterful creations, you'll uncover what elevates these classics to perfection. Judged by the esteemed Valerie Lomas, author of "Life is What You Bake It," and Wild Wayne, the voice of New Orleans, this is a true celebration of flavor and culture.
Join us as we explore the origins, savor the aromas, and crown the champion in this delicious culinary battle.
#GumboVsEtouffee #EssenceFest #LouisianaCuisine #FoodieBattle
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FunTranscript
00:05I'm about to get my coffee because I was in that dome last night.
00:09It went down.
00:09Did you go?
00:12Brandy and Monica.
00:14Face was amazing.
00:17200, number one.
00:18He got his fingerprints on.
00:20That's what I'm talking about.
00:21But we got plenty for you today.
00:23We're at the Food and Wine Experience here for Essence 2026.
00:28And we're talking food today.
00:30That's right.
00:31But it's going to be a full day of food and a little live basis.
00:35We got some special guests coming through.
00:37But if you're here in New Orleans and you're visiting, I'm pretty sure that you've had some gumbo somewhere or
00:44some etouffee or maybe wherever you live.
00:46Where do you live?
00:48In where?
00:49In Texas?
00:52Maryland.
00:52Maryland.
00:53Okay, so you're a long way from home.
00:55We got the real gumbo here.
00:57And we're going to talk about it today.
00:59We're going to talk about gumbo.
01:01We're going to talk about etouffee.
01:03And they're going to go head to head.
01:04And they'll also kind of talk about the origins and what it takes to make a good gumbo and what
01:09it takes to make a good etouffee.
01:11We got Chef Bunny, Bunny Young.
01:13And we also have Chef Ashley Jonique today.
01:16Let that girl cook.
01:17So they'll talk about it.
01:18And they're going to prepare some up here as well.
01:21So we're kicking it off with some chefs that got a whole lot of heart.
01:25And both of them are friends of mine.
01:26So they're going to have a friendly competition.
01:30And I also have Miss Valerie Lomas.
01:32We will be tasting what they make happen up here today.
01:37So we're going to get this thing started.
01:39All right, coming to the stage, and she's going to kind of direct the conversations today.
01:43We have a lifestyle creator and a food personality.
01:46Her name is Taylor Payton, known as the Hungry Homegirl.
01:50Y'all give it up for the Hungry Homegirl coming up to the stage in just a minute.
01:53And she will guide this conversation.
01:56There it is.
01:57How are you feeling today?
01:59Straight out the A.
02:01All right, there it is.
02:03Come on down, the Hungry Homegirl.
02:05I need to see her in action.
02:07Y'all give it up one more time for the Hungry Homegirl.
02:09We're going to get this thing started.
02:15All right, how y'all feeling?
02:18Good.
02:19Top of the morning, top of the morning.
02:20I'm super excited to be your host for today.
02:23We are going to have some fun, y'all, okay?
02:24I am from Atlanta, Georgia.
02:26So y'all might have to teach me something.
02:28I'm new to this.
02:29What?
02:29Not true to this.
02:30So the gumbo and etouffee, y'all, I'm going to get down.
02:33I'm going to need some history, all the things.
02:35So I'm excited to share this stage with y'all today, okay?
02:38Few dishes represent comfort, culture, and community, quite like gumbo and etouffee.
02:44In this live cooking demonstration, Chef Ashley Zonique shares, and Chef Bunny shares their
02:51personal approach to this beloved classic while exploring traditions, techniques, and stories
02:56that continue to make gumbo and etouffee a centerpiece of gatherings across generations.
03:02Okay, y'all.
03:04Without further ado, let's go ahead and give it up for Chef Bunny.
03:13Okay, y'all got to make a little bit, come on, a little bit louder.
03:16Let's give her some, show her some love.
03:20All right, Chef Bunny, how are you feeling?
03:22I'm great today.
03:23How about you?
03:24Oh, you guys, okay.
03:25Yeah, I'm mic'd.
03:25Okay, she mic'd, y'all.
03:26She mic'd.
03:27I'm feeling great, and I'm excited to try the etouffee today, okay?
03:29Yes.
03:30So we're going to go ahead and bring out Chef Ashley.
03:36Oh, my plate isn't on.
03:38I got you.
03:40Oh, I thought, oh, I'm confused.
03:43Okay, y'all.
03:43So right now, I do want to go ahead and introduce our judges who are also going to be sampling
03:48the dishes for today.
03:50Okay, so one second while we let them introduce themselves.
04:01My name is Wild Wayne from iHeartMedia, and also I work with the New Orleans Pelicans,
04:07the voice of New Orleans, and I hold it down.
04:09But I'm excited as a foodie to go ahead and taste these magical creations, and they do a
04:15lot of work here in New Orleans, so I can't wait to see.
04:17They go ahead, and they'll give us a little history, too, of etouffee and gumbo.
04:24Hi, everyone.
04:25I'm Valerie Lomas.
04:26I'm a cookbook author of Life is What You Bake It, which was on the best-selling list
04:31for a number of publications like Food Network, Boston Globe, Glamour Magazine.
04:36And I currently, I have a column with Wall Street Journal.
04:41I develop recipes for New York Times, and I do commentation on the History Channel.
04:46And I'm a Louisiana native, so I'm super excited to be tasting this gumbo and etouffee recipes
04:53and excited to, you know, get to taste these chefs' creations.
04:58Yay!
04:58Yay!
05:00Yay!
05:00Yay!
05:01Yay!
05:01Yay!
05:02Yay!
05:02Yay!
05:03All right, y'all, so while we prepare, get started, everything gets set up, I'm going
05:07to go ahead and start off with Chef Ashley.
05:10So every gumbo starts with a great story.
05:13What's the story behind yours, and who was the first who taught you how to make it?
05:19My gumbo story comes from my great-grandmother, who just passed away.
05:24It was so good and rich.
05:26Everybody's gumbo that I tasted after hers never compared, and it took me probably, like,
05:3015 to 20 years to get this recipe down.
05:33I did a few minor tweaks to it, but I perfected it, and I'm excited to give it to y
05:38'all today.
05:39So you're a great-grandmother, and you said 15 to 20 years to make it?
05:43Yes.
05:43I'm a Virgo, so we're very meticulous.
05:45I'm a perfectionist, and if it's not exactly what I want it to be, it's not anything at all.
05:49Wow.
05:50So we are excited to taste this.
05:52I'm excited to taste this.
05:53The perfectionist, y'all, we're ready, okay?
05:55So Chef Bunny.
05:57Yes.
05:57Same question for you.
05:59Every great etouffee starts with a story.
06:01So what does this dish personally mean to you, and who introduced it to you?
06:07My grandmother, of course.
06:09She introduced it to me.
06:10It reminds me of coming home from school when it's cold.
06:13It's a warm belly filler, so it's a comfort food for me.
06:17I love it.
06:18You love it.
06:19Okay.
06:19I do.
06:20It's one of my favorite things to eat and cook.
06:22You said your grandmother?
06:23Yes, my grandmother.
06:23And how long did you say it takes you to, or to perfect it?
06:26How long did it take you to become a master of your craft?
06:29I would say it's something that I caught on to quick fairly easily, because it's simple.
06:34It's really simple.
06:35When you see it today, you're going to understand how simple it is.
06:37So it didn't take me long to master it.
06:39Okay.
06:40So we see that you just got your pot.
06:42I did.
06:43Okay.
06:43So are you able to explain, do you want to share your recipe, or is this something that
06:48is a secret?
06:49Let us know, because if you don't want to share all your ingredients, that's fine.
06:52But let us know some of the key ingredients that need to go into this pot.
06:56I'm going to start with you.
06:57Oh, absolutely.
06:58I'm going to give away my secret today.
07:00My little secret is I use liquid crab boil, just like a half a capful.
07:05It gives it that little kick.
07:06I don't mind sharing it with you all.
07:08Oh, a liquid.
07:09Oh.
07:09Yes.
07:10Just a little.
07:12Okay.
07:13Okay.
07:14I'm excited.
07:14I'm excited.
07:15Now, earlier, I was explaining to the chefs that I am from Atlanta, so this is all new
07:21to me, and I really want somebody to explain gumbo like I'm a two-year-old.
07:26I'm going to be honest, y'all.
07:27Explain gumbo to me like a two-year-old, because the gumbo that I'm eating in my city is a
07:33lot different from the gumbo in New Orleans.
07:35So, Chef Ashley, are you able to explain what gumbo is?
07:39To most people, gumbo, when you say gumbo, if you use it in a sentence, it's just like
07:44a whole bunch of stuff that you put together, but down here it's not.
07:46We have different types of gumbo.
07:48The gumbo that I prepared today is a filet gumbo, and it's mostly, I do have meat in it,
07:53but it's mostly seafood.
07:54Most people start with a root, and it starts with oil and flour.
07:58I don't start my gumbo with a root.
08:00I start my gumbo with a stock, and I do a quick root at the end, because I like to
08:04build.
08:04I kind of call myself the flavor architect.
08:06I like to build flavors, and I love stuff that take a long time.
08:10And gumbo is not a soup or a soup.
08:12It's like right in the middle.
08:13We don't really know what to call it.
08:14But for the most part, mine doesn't start with a root.
08:17It starts with a shrimp stock.
08:19Oh, wow.
08:19Are y'all taking notes?
08:21Do we have some chefs in the audience?
08:23Are y'all taking notes?
08:23Hey, chefs.
08:24Okay.
08:25So we're going to go down here to our judges and see what they're excited for.
08:29Any commentary from you all?
08:32I'm excited to see what this flavor architect is building over here.
08:36I didn't talk myself up.
08:38And see, just because that's a unique way to do it.
08:41It's almost like a deconstructed way to do it if you're doing the roux on the back end.
08:46And what type of roux do you do?
08:49Is it a darker roux, or is it a lighter roux?
08:52Blonde or chocolate?
08:53So I do, I'll say it's not dark or light.
08:56It's right in the middle, like a dark khaki.
08:58Because my gumbo has a hint of orange, and that's because of the hot sausage that I use.
09:03I use patent hot sausage.
09:04Okay.
09:05And that's one of my favorite things.
09:06That is a must.
09:07If I'm cooking gumbo out of town, I'm bringing the hot sausage with me.
09:10But this is how my grandmother made it, and I just took to it.
09:13But the flavor is like unmatched to me.
09:15And you do the balls, the hot sausage balls?
09:18So I patted them into little slices like regular sliced sausage.
09:21Okay.
09:22Okay.
09:23And then I'm excited for Bunny, her etouffee.
09:26Because I think sometimes people think it's a really tough dish, but it's really not that difficult.
09:31But it's, she's layering in flavors too.
09:34See that, that, that little secret that she just shared with y'all?
09:37Boy, that's magic.
09:39That's magic.
09:40All right, ladies.
09:41Are y'all ready to go ahead and get started?
09:42Before we hear our commentary from Valerie?
09:45No, Valerie, we want to hear from you soon.
09:47Chef Bunny, are you starting with a roux with your etouffee?
09:49Am I what?
09:50Are you going to use a roux in your etouffee?
09:52Absolutely.
09:52It starts with the roux.
09:54This is, the difference is with this roux, it's a tomato roux.
09:58I'm going to add tomato paste.
09:59So this is a tomato based dish.
10:01I know a lot of people don't always do, but I do.
10:04The traditional way is a tomato based dish.
10:08So we're going to put tomato paste in this roux today.
10:10Okay.
10:10Love that.
10:11And Chef Ashley, no okra since you're doing filet, right?
10:14No, I didn't use okra.
10:15I wanted to, but I didn't know what the judges were feeling and stuff like that.
10:18And I wanted to kind of do a traditional gumbo.
10:20So I veered away from that.
10:22Right.
10:23Okay.
10:23So filet is going to be our thickening agent to get us that consistency that you're talking
10:27about.
10:27Yes ma'am.
10:28Love it.
10:28Okay.
10:29All right, ladies.
10:30Are you guys ready to get started?
10:32Yes.
10:33Mine is done.
10:35Okay.
10:35So if you want to kind of talk a little bit.
10:37Okay.
10:37I mean, I can't build a gumbo on stage.
10:39Yes.
10:40You will be here until.
10:41Right.
10:42It'll take a minute.
10:42The concert.
10:43No problem.
10:44No problem.
10:45Now I wish we had a little music.
10:47This is a very random question.
10:48I cannot sing, so I cannot entertain musically for y'all.
10:52But when you guys are in the kitchen preparing, is there anything that you have playing while
10:56you're making your infamous dishes or your famous dishes?
10:59Reggae.
11:00I'm about to say.
11:01I love that.
11:02My aunt listens to it.
11:03I love crap music.
11:03I love crap music for one that always talking about being in the kitchen and making money.
11:07And it's upbeat if it's like slow and talking about love and all of that.
11:11I already have the love in me that I need to make the dish, but I like to.
11:15Oh, you like to be in the kitchen turn.
11:16Y'all hear that?
11:17Yes.
11:17That's what I'm talking about.
11:19See, I feel like with this, I would probably be listening to some old school slow jam.
11:23Oh, no.
11:23I do that when I'm leading up.
11:25That's the end.
11:26That's the end for me.
11:27I love it.
11:27I love it.
11:28So do you sing to your dish?
11:31Do I sing to my dish?
11:32Do you sing to it while it's in there?
11:33Absolutely.
11:34Give it a little extra love.
11:36More than singing, I dance.
11:38Okay.
11:38When I, when I, look, in my kitchen has a sign that says, in this kitchen we dance.
11:42When I cook, and sometimes I listen to reggae because my aunt Rowena, who taught me how
11:47to cook primarily, she listens to reggae.
11:49So it's a habit.
11:50I listen to reggae when I cook or I listen to second line music.
11:53So I, I bug jumped with my food.
11:58I love that.
11:59I love that.
11:59So you've both built a brand around elevated Southern cuisine.
12:03How do you honor tradition while making recipes still feel fresh and modern?
12:09For me, I like to travel a lot.
12:11And I'll mix the cultures that I've learned with our culture in New Orleans.
12:15It just put like a little twist to it.
12:17Like when I did the shrimp and grits demo, of course that's one of our native dishes.
12:21But I did it as a sushi rule.
12:22My son who's in the audience, he loves sushi.
12:24I'm sorry to put you on the spot.
12:26He loves sushi.
12:27So I thought that would be like a cool little take on a traditional dish.
12:30I rolled the shrimp up into the grits and I deep fried it and I cut it up into little
12:36sushi bites and I served it with a Cajun cream sauce.
12:38Oh, wow.
12:41And where did you travel to, to get this inspiration?
12:43Well, for that one, it was just him.
12:45I didn't have to travel.
12:46He loves, yeah.
12:47So I make sushi for his school lunch.
12:49That's what he's for lunch at school.
12:50Oh my gosh.
12:51You are the luckiest kid in the world.
12:53Okay.
12:54Look, mama show up and out for you.
12:56But I travel, I travel to Europe and Mexico, you know, a bunch of places over there.
13:00But for the most part, I just love to create new dishes.
13:04Anything that I can think of, I like to bring them to life.
13:06And that's kind of like the infatuation that I have with food, just doing new stuff.
13:10Okay.
13:10Now that makes a lot of sense.
13:11Yeah.
13:12What about you, Miss Bunny?
13:13I'm getting there.
13:15I'm just a traditionalist at heart.
13:17I played around a little bit.
13:19I am playing around a little bit.
13:20I do a few spins, Creole spins on traditionals.
13:23I do a crawfish meatloaf.
13:25I do a seafood stuffed potato.
13:27Okay.
13:27One with the whole fish and it's covered with a seafood cream sauce, crab meat and grilled
13:32shrimp and cheese and green onion.
13:34Okay.
13:35So I'm learning to come out of, because I'm just, you know, my grandmother taught me how
13:39to cook.
13:39And in New Orleans, we're very, we're sticklers about how it should be.
13:43You know, there's always a debate around gumbo or whatever.
13:46So I pretty much stick to the script.
13:51A lot of people do.
13:52So there's nothing wrong with that.
13:54Yes.
13:54So I want everyone to notice that Chef Bunny, since she's making a roux, she's putting
13:59in that work.
14:00Like if you've ever made a roux, you know, you don't want to burn that roux.
14:03You got to keep stirring.
14:05That's right.
14:05That's right.
14:05And it's looking great right now.
14:07It's smelling gray, y'all.
14:09From this stage, it's smelling gray.
14:10Okay.
14:11Chef Bunny, I have a question for you.
14:13Yeah.
14:13When you're in the kitchen, do you like to be in the kitchen with other people or do you
14:16rather be alone?
14:18The way my day starts, typically I'm in the kitchen alone when I start and that's when
14:22I can focus.
14:23I get everything done.
14:24But I love, I love my team.
14:26I love my team.
14:26They keep me laughing.
14:27They keep my sanity because otherwise, you know, I love it.
14:31And we joke.
14:31And look, I have guys in the kitchen, so I hear it all.
14:35The jokes are like, yeah.
14:37I love being with people in the kitchen.
14:39Plus, I just learned in my chef's journey, I thought that I would just go and cook.
14:44But now I understand that I'm mentoring.
14:46I'm giving back and I'm tutoring and I'm teaching.
14:49I'm giving the knowledge to others.
14:51So, I love having people in the kitchen.
14:53That's cool.
14:54I love that.
14:54I love that.
14:55So, I have another question for you ladies.
14:58So, can you describe your spice level when it comes to your etouffee and your spice level
15:03when it comes to gumbo?
15:05For me, my spice level, I would say probably is the two.
15:08I don't really like spicy foods.
15:10And since I cook for, usually when you cook for the masses, you kind of have to keep that
15:14down and let them add their own spice.
15:16Dietary restrictions, acid reflux, all kinds of stuff like that.
15:19But for the most part, I don't like spicy gumbo.
15:21And I hate when people put hot sauce in gumbo.
15:23Because to me, that changes the flavor.
15:25Most hot sauces are vinegar based.
15:27Yeah.
15:27So, it's just like vinegar and gumbo.
15:30I don't want it.
15:32Yeah.
15:32And for etouffee, I know it's more of a savory taste to it.
15:35But if you like to add any extra spin, just let me know the level of how deep you go
15:40into
15:40it.
15:41It's this.
15:42This is the level.
15:43It's a liquid crab boil.
15:45Oh, your liquid crab boil.
15:46Yes.
15:46And I take the cap and I only do a little half because it's very potent.
15:51Yes.
15:51And I put it in.
15:52And that kicks it up.
15:54Really?
15:54Oh, absolutely.
15:55It takes it to another level.
15:56If you know you know, it takes it to another level.
15:59Okay.
15:59You just taught me something.
16:00So, I'm excited.
16:02I want to add something because I've used that trick before too.
16:05But you have to be careful how much you put in.
16:09Very careful.
16:09Because it will ruin your dish if you go too heavy.
16:11Yes.
16:11That's why it's a half a cap full.
16:13Put less and then you can always bounce it up just a little bit more.
16:17But you can never go backwards if you put too much.
16:19I would recommend getting a dropper for it.
16:21Right, right.
16:21Put it in like a little dropper thing.
16:23That way you can kind of manage how much goes in.
16:25Because if you, like you said, if you put too much, it's hard to take it out.
16:28It's over.
16:28If you can't even take it out.
16:30But that would change the whole dish if it's too much.
16:32Really?
16:32Yes.
16:33A little bit goes a long way like Chef Bunny said.
16:35Look, she really did put a drop in.
16:37Yeah.
16:37Yeah.
16:38And she free handed it, y'all.
16:39You can tell that's the expert right here.
16:40But that's another thing I eyeball.
16:42I'm an old school traditional chef.
16:43Me too.
16:44I can give you the recipe and measure it out.
16:46But I know on site.
16:48And I have to get with Chef about cookbooks and stuff like that.
16:51Because I don't measure anything.
16:53So me writing down a recipe is like, oh, my God.
16:56It has me in a chokehold.
16:58But you got to pass it down to me.
16:59So I need you to write it down, okay?
17:00So I had a question.
17:01We're able to see Bunny construct her etouffee.
17:04And it's not a long dish.
17:07It doesn't take a long time.
17:08But this question is actually for Chef Ashley.
17:10How long does it take to make gumbo?
17:12Because I think sometimes people think it's a quick thing.
17:16But it takes a lot of love and patience.
17:18Can you tell them about the process?
17:20For me, it takes about three or four hours.
17:22Because I use smoked turkey necks in mine.
17:24And the longest thing is boiling a turkey necks to break it down to get it tender.
17:28And I like to take my meat off the bone.
17:30I hate eating gumbo when you have to bite the turkey necks and get in all the crevices of the
17:33bones and stuff.
17:34So I like to boil my turkey necks first.
17:36And then I take the meat off the bone and add that.
17:38And then I add the bones to the gumbo just so I can get that extra flavor.
17:41But I don't like people picking things out of their mouth and stuff like that or having to use their
17:45hands.
17:46So there's no such thing as a quick gumbo.
17:48No.
17:49I mean, no, that's mine about.
17:53We made quick gumbo in Atlanta.
17:55Okay.
17:56Okay, so I did have a question for you.
17:58That ain't real gumbo.
17:58Somebody had a question down here.
18:00So I did want to see what her question was.
18:09My question is for Chef Bunny.
18:11Yes.
18:11When you were starting, you said you started the tomato base, but you used tomato paste.
18:17So I'm wondering, like, why tomato paste versus, like, tomatoes, stewed tomatoes?
18:21Like, how do you decide paste versus the tomato?
18:25It's tomato paste.
18:26That's my first choice.
18:27But if I have tomato sauce, I use tomato sauce.
18:30Oh, okay.
18:31But tomato paste, for me, it's just, it's richer.
18:33It's a lot richer because it's condensed and it blends better in the room, I think, in my opinion.
18:38Okay.
18:38It does.
18:39So you skip the, like, boiling the tomatoes and peeling it.
18:41Don't do that.
18:41I mean, if you want to.
18:43That'll get heightened, definitely.
18:44But I think it's a necessary step.
18:46This dish, like we said, is simple.
18:49And we want to keep it simple because it can be great, great and simple.
18:52Okay.
18:53About how much tomato paste did you use?
18:55I used a fourth of a cup for this.
18:58Yes.
18:59You're welcome.
19:00Any other questions from the audience?
19:06And this, I have to share this with you all because my ancestors told me to.
19:11But this is fresh time.
19:12Oh.
19:13This is what makes a dish Creole.
19:15I was told when I was learning how to cook, we put fresh time in anything, everything.
19:19And I asked my aunt, why?
19:21She's like, I don't know.
19:22Just do it.
19:22We Creole.
19:23That's why.
19:23So here's my fresh time.
19:26Titi is going in a pot.
19:28Can we also hear a little bit more of the seasons that you added?
19:31I can smell it.
19:32It smells amazing.
19:32It does smell good.
19:33I put bay leaf, of course.
19:34I put granulated onion, granulated garlic, smoked paprika.
19:39I live and die by that in most of my New Orleans dishes.
19:43It takes it to another level.
19:45Just the smokiness, the flavor from that.
19:48And my crab ball.
19:50And, of course, onion, bell pepper.
19:53Well, sweet peppers, red peppers, green onion, and bay leaf.
19:58That's it.
19:58It smells amazing, y'all.
19:59It smells amazing.
20:00So we're going to go to this audience member right over here to get your question.
20:04Hello.
20:05This is an easy question for both of you.
20:07Do you have cookbooks?
20:09I have a digital cookbook.
20:11Okay.
20:12And after we wrap all of this up, I'll give y'all my website, my Instagram, and I'll drop
20:16all of that stuff on y'all.
20:18Okay.
20:18All right.
20:19I am working on it right now.
20:21It's a labor of love.
20:22It is the vein of my existence right now, but it's in production.
20:26It is.
20:26Every night it's in production.
20:27So do you have anything before your cookbook is out that you can send?
20:32I'm sorry?
20:33I can't hear you.
20:34Do you have anything that you can send before your cookbook is out?
20:37That I can send?
20:37Do you have, like, a website or recipes?
20:40Oh, no, no, not yet, no.
20:42They're coming, though.
20:43It's coming, y'all.
20:43It's coming.
20:44It's coming, y'all.
20:45First of all, it took me forever to come up with the premise of my book.
20:49That was the main thing.
20:50What do I want to talk about?
20:51What do I want to share?
20:52I got it probably, like, six weeks ago.
20:55It occurred to me.
20:55So that's where I am, six weeks in.
20:58Six weeks in, yes.
20:59And follow her on social media so you can stay updated.
21:02And we have one more question as well.
21:04I want to ask, do any of you have a restaurant here?
21:08Well, I did have a restaurant, but it got burned down the day after I had my son.
21:12So I became a private chef.
21:14I did a lot of TV stuff.
21:15And I think that private chef, it kind of matches with my personality because I don't like to be in
21:20one place all the time.
21:21So I get to venture off.
21:23The scenery changes, it kind of inspire me.
21:24So I'm just a private, I'm not going to say just a private chef, but I am a private chef.
21:30Any more questions or?
21:32Oh, yeah.
21:33I am Chef Bunny.
21:35I own Craw Babies.
21:36Craw Babies is located inside of Vaux Croissants Creole Cafe, 1800 St. Bernard Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116.
21:46I love it.
21:47I love it.
21:48I love it.
21:48Chef Ashley, we did not ask you if you have any special seasoning spices that you like to add to
21:54your gumbo as well to make it kick.
21:56So smoked paprika is my homegirl.
22:00Okay.
22:01I love her down.
22:03It changes the flavor.
22:04You can add it to so many dishes to make the flavors a little more bold.
22:08And sometimes if I don't have the smoked turkey next, me having a smoked paprika will kind of give me
22:13that little kick that I need for as the smoking is.
22:15Okay.
22:15We love that.
22:17So let us know how long it'll take for you to plate it.
22:20And then if you guys.
22:21I can plate it now.
22:21Yeah.
22:22I think you can go ahead and plate it right now.
22:23Okay.
22:24And then Chef Bunny, whenever you're ready.
22:26I'm ready.
22:26I need some rice.
22:27You can go ahead and plate it because we're ready to taste.
22:28I need a little rice.
22:29A little rice.
22:30I need some rice.
22:30I think my rice is in the back.
22:31Okay.
22:32You're a license.
22:33Yep.
22:33We're ready to go ahead and plate it.
22:34One more plate.
22:35You have another plate?
22:36Oh, it's just my two guests.
22:38I got it.
22:39So we actually have a couple minutes to taste it.
22:43And judges, we got to get to it.
22:45Okay.
22:46We want to hear as soon as you take that first bite.
22:48What is tasting like?
22:49Okay.
22:50Well, you ain't got to worry about me.
22:51I'm hungry.
22:51It's not going to take long.
22:58All right, y'all.
22:58So I'm excited, y'all.
22:59Look at this gum.
23:00Well, I'm saying look at this gumbo.
23:02Y'all can't see.
23:02Like they can see.
23:03I think they can see.
23:03They have a camera.
23:04Oh, they do.
23:05Okay.
23:06Chef Ashley, do you ever serve your gumbo with potato salad?
23:10No, unless it's requested.
23:11I don't personally do that.
23:13But if they request it, I'm giving them whatever they want.
23:15Chef Bunny?
23:16This is served at the cafe.
23:18It comes with steamed rice, potato salad, and French bread, and fried catfish.
23:23I put two pieces of fried catfish over it and put the etouffee over the fish.
23:29That's actually what we call in New Orleans a catfish atrapalaya.
23:32So that's what I have.
23:34You can get it at the cafe Tuesday through Saturday, 11 to 3.
23:38And I'm going to have some for you afterwards so you can try it.
23:41All right, y'all.
23:42They are literally plating to perfection, okay?
23:46I have not seen any plating like this, okay?
23:50When I tell y'all I am a plating gal, but I can't plate myself.
23:55Don't ask me to plate anything.
23:56It looks horrible.
23:56But I love how this seafood is looking.
23:59This etouffee looks super, super good, y'all.
24:03Ooh, super flavorful.
24:05I'm going to go ahead and pass it to the judges now.
24:18Y'all, I'm not Vanna White.
24:19So if I'm looking crazy passing these plates, just let me know, okay?
24:26She said, I ain't Vanna White.
24:27I'm the hungry homegirl.
24:28Period.
24:32All right, y'all.
24:34And the gumbo is coming right up.
24:38Chef Bunny, you did that.
24:39All right now, Chef Esh.
24:40Oh, my God.
24:42The crawfish is so, the sauce that it's in, I love the consistency of it.
24:48And the tomato really comes through and it's playing really well with that crawfish flavor.
24:53And I taste the fresh thyme.
24:55Girl, I got to go in my garden and make sure I'm adding time to all my dishes.
24:58It makes a huge difference.
24:59It kind of like wakes up all the other flavors.
25:01So it doesn't feel like it's all melding together.
25:04You kind of get a bit of brightness from each one.
25:25You taste it, y'all.
25:27Okay.
25:29The spices on point.
25:32Crawfish on point.
25:34And I do like the tomato base as well.
25:37I like that paprika too.
25:44You taste with your nose.
25:46And let me tell you, this gumbo, whenever you add the roux, it's all right with me because the smell
25:56of this is taking me back to a really good place.
26:00It feels very nostalgic and comforting, but still bright and modern.
26:06This is absolutely delicious.
26:11All right, y'all.
26:12So, I told y'all it was a one-bite take.
26:16So, I want to thank both judges for coming out, taking the time to come demonstrate with us.
26:26Chef Ashley, can you please tell us how we can find you on social media, support your business, anything you
26:31have coming up?
26:32Okay.
26:33On Instagram, my name is LetThatGirlCook.
26:35My website is chefashtiejonique.com.
26:38You can inquire about my services.
26:40I sell culinary earrings, hoodies, bags.
26:43And I have a dinner series called No Restrictions.
26:46It's a pop-up that's in a different place every time.
26:48It's a secret menu.
26:49You don't know until you get that.
26:50And if you have any restrictions, do not come.
26:54Period.
26:56And Chef Bunny, how can we find you?
26:58You can find me at ecrawbabiesnola on Instagram or honeybunny504.
27:03On Facebook, I am bunnyyoung and crawbabiesllc.
27:07On TikTok, crawbabies007 for the seven wad.
27:13Period.
27:13Thank you, ladies, so much.
27:15And we also want to hear from our judges as well.
27:17How can we stay connected with you all as well?
27:20Hi, everyone.
27:21You can find me on Instagram, at foodie in New York.
27:26And you can also find my recipes, including an etouffee recipe, at New York Times Cooking
27:30or America's Test Kitchen.
27:34You can find me on Instagram, at wildwayne and TikTok and Facebook and all of the above.
27:42At wildwayne and also q93.com.
27:45And I think we're supposed to be judging, but I can't even do it.
27:49I can't.
27:50I was like, they both look amazing.
27:52They look like she gets 100% from me and she gets 100% from me.
27:56It's a tie in my book and I'm about to finish eating all this food.
27:59I just need some more of that hot sauce.
28:01All right.
28:03Yeah, I'm not judging.
28:04I'm eating.
28:05And also like gumbo versus etouffee.
28:07It's apples and oranges.
28:08I want both of them.
28:09I need my fiber.
28:11I need my vitamin C.
28:13And you guys can also find me at Hungry Homegirl on all social media platforms.
28:18I am a food and lifestyle creator, influencer, and I am so happy to be here.
28:23Thank you all so much for coming.
28:24And that is the end of our beautiful etouffee versus gumbo.
28:29This was awesome.
28:31Take your gloves off for the picture.
28:32Oh, yeah.
28:39Hey.
28:39I got you.
28:40Right here.
28:41And they come in, too.
28:43Oh, yeah.
28:48I had that.
28:51No, no, no, no.
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