Yesterday was a day many of us in the industry have been waiting on for nearly 10 years. Effective May 7, 2018, the menu-labeling regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – eight years after Congress called for the provision as part of the Affordable Care Act – officially becomes the law of the land.
The menu-labeling requirement applies nationwide to chain restaurants and businesses that serve prepared food and have more than 20 locations. These establishments will now have to post calorie counts on foods they sell – although many in the industry already do. This is a welcome development for both the restaurant industry and consumers, and we are pleased that our efforts to preserve the May 7th compliance date were successful. By setting a clear standard, this rule provides the necessary guidance and expectations for America’s restaurants to follow in order to continue delivering a high quality experience and customer service to everyone who walks through our doors, as well as the transparency our customers demand. We applaud Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and the Trump Administration for working with the National Restaurant Association to push this policy across the finish line. To read an op-ed by the National Restaurant Association’s Cicely Simpson, click here. Going forward, the FDA intends to actively assist restaurants and foodservice establishments comply with the new requirements, and they will not issue penalties during the first year of implementation. To read the FDA’s guidance on this rule, click here. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to the National Restaurant Association with any questions we may assist with. The Lt. Governor and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board are proud to announce the selection of 12 chefs from across the state to represent their areas in the 11th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook Off (LASCO).
The chefs include: Paul Gibson Pont Breaux's Cajun Restaurant Breaux Bridge Scott McCue Cypress Bayou Casino and Hotel Charenton Joshua Hebert The Cabin Restaurant Gonzales Kris Allen Pamplona Tapas Bar & Restaurant Lafayette Ryan Trahan Blue Dog Café Lafayette Justin East Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles Paige Lucas Pork Belly's Bar and Grill Marksville Nick Simons Wine Country Bistro Shreveport Anthony Felan Fat Calf Boucherie Shreveport Justin Ferguson BRQ Restaurant Baton Rouge Noah Lessard Ruffino's Baton Rouge Richard Brennan III Bourbon House New Orleans “Seafood is a part of our culture and has created a culinary identity for Louisiana unlike any other state,” Lt. Governor Nungesser said. “Oysters Rockefeller, shrimp poboys, crab boils and all the wonderful dishes these chefs create with our abundant seafood keep tourists coming back. This is a chance for us to celebrate the great contribution chefs and our hard working seafood industry make to the state.” LASCO will be held in conjunction with the Taste of EatLafayette event which will be held at the Cajundome Convention Center on June 19. The evening will include the live cook off with chefs from all over the state participating in a competition with the winner to be announced that evening. This event features the best of both worlds: a taste of EatLafayette restaurants and a world class cooking competition. This is the 14th year for EatLafayette and the 11th year for the state’s premier cooking competition, which is presented by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board in partnership with the Louisiana Restaurant Association. “We are delighted that the Lt. Governor and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion Board are staging the Cook-off in Lafayette again this year,” said Ben Berthelot, President & CEO of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission. “Last year it helped take our popular Taste of EatLafayette Event to another level, while providing great exposure for our area, our chefs, restaurants, the Cook-off and EatLafayette. It is exciting to see this partnership and event continue this year.” The Taste of EatLafayette showcases locally owned restaurants that participate in the annual EatLafayette™ campaign. The event has traditionally served as the kick off for the summer campaign that drives customers to local eateries and is a sell out every year. The winner of LASCO will represent Louisiana at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off (GASCO) in New Orleans on Saturday, August 4 at the Morial Convention Center. GASCO is held in conjunction with the Louisiana Restaurant Association EXPO and will feature chefs from around the country competing for the title of King of Queen of American Seafood. Follow @LaSeafoodBoard on Instagram and Twitter and keep up will all Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off (LASCO) events via the official hashtag, #LASCO18. |
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