Louisiana swamp waters

Programs & Initiatives

Chefs Brigade collaborates across disciplines, companies, agencies and organizations to increase access and work towards a more resilient and regenerative foodscape in Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast.

man in boat holding a crab trap over the water
Programs & Initiatives

Chefs on Boats

A Chefs Brigade educational program that provides food service workers and students with immersive tours and education of the Gulf Coast fisheries.

Participants learn about the estuaries, seasons, life cycles of seafood, the history and evolution of commercial fishing and coastal restoration. The program is about connecting culinary ambassadors with the ever changing environment and how it impacts local availability and sustainability.

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Programs & Initiatives

Oyster Shell Recycling

In partnership with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), Chefs Brigade is committed to restoring the health of our coastal marshes, bayous and bays, and rejuvenating our waterway’s seafood bounty.

Launched in June 2014, CRCL’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program collects shells from New Orleans-area restaurants. Chefs Brigade provides financial assistance to our restaurant partners to participate in the program, which repurposes those shells to restore and build new oyster reefs, breeding habitats and slow the effects of coastal erosion in endangered fishing grounds, including sacred sites for the First Nation Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe.

More on CRCL's Oyster Shell recycling
young girl in winter hat eating a raw oyster on a boat in the sun
Two grey haired men looking at packages of food while wearing masks indoors
Programs & Initiatives

Disaster Response

Hurricanes in the Northern Gulf have become more frequent and more powerful, and in order to fulfill the promise of the brigade disaster response system, Chefs Brigade is bringing together the expertise and designing the equipment to complete the “last mile” distribution aspect of the system.

Chefs Brigade began and grew in response to the COVID-19 crisis. As our work expands, we continue to collaborate with passionate chefs, restaurateurs and organizations that each bring unique experiences and strengths to the table. We are currently working towards a more proactive approach to disaster response and are welcoming input from our current and future partners.

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Programs & Initiatives

Feeding First Responders

Chefs Brigade has never forgotten our roots of helping to take care of the people who keep us safe.

In partnership with the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation and New Orleans & Company, Chefs Brigade is committed and will continue to commit financial resources to providing meals to the men and women of the New Orleans Police Department and Emergency Medical Services by utilizing neighborhood restaurants in this endeavor.

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a first responder in uniform standing next to a woman in a mask by a table with containers full of food