​Join the Jefferson Chamber Young Professionals for an incredible evening of eating, education, & networking at Eats & Edu! Meet us at Impastato's Restaurant for food, fun, and an educational experience. Our topic is "Why New Orleans Cuisine is Good for Business", touching on the impact of our food culture in this region and the importance of local restaurants. 

This event is for young professionals in their 20s and 30s only.

In this Eats & Edu session, we will hear from Poppy Tooker, New Orleanian and Cultural Ambassador. She is a Culinary Activist, Radio & TV Host, Author, Speaker, Spokesperson, and Cooking Instructor.

Poppy is a native New Orleanian who has spent her life immersed in the vibrant colors and flavors of her state. Poppy's award winning, NPR-affiliated radio show and podcast, Louisiana Eats!, carries her message state-wide and beyond. She was tapped to update on of the earliest Louisiana cookbooks, Madame Begue's Creole Recipes of Old New Orleans Creole Cookery, which was first published in 1900. She's a cultural ambassador on a mission. In fact, you can it destiny. "It has been my lifelong dream to bring my great-grandmother's favorite saying to life. When I was a little girl, she would never tell me to clean my plate. Instead. she'd say 'Poppy, eat it to save it!'" This became her life's mantra, and fueled her desire to work as a culinary activist promoting and preserving food culture and history, while safe-guarding the planet's bio-diversity. Poppy brought her motto to life through a television pilot, Eat it to Save It!

To read more about her accomplishments, view her website here: www.poppytooker.com.