Du Jour: Eric Arceneaux, Baton Rouge City Club

Back in March, Erwinville native Chef Eric Arceneaux returned to Louisiana to lead the kitchen of the Baton Rouge City Club, where he’s successfully achieved balance between maintaining the private eatery’s traditions and pushing its culinary boundaries. The 36-year-old farm-to-table enthusiast forged a relationship early on with one of the area’s few organic farmers, Hutch McClendon of Oakland Organics near Ethyl, La. At Arceneaux’s request, McClendon planted Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes, a flavorful variety Arceneaux became acquainted with during his years as chef at The Big Eddy Club in Columbus, Ga., where he often sourced his upscale plates with the bounty of Peach State organic growers. “The flavor of organic produce is so much better,” he says. “I really wanted to bring that back here.” At the City Club, Cherokee Purples are routinely used in Arceneaux’s gazpacho and in sauces and salads. His sautéed pattypan squash, also grown by McClendon, earned rave reviews for its simplicity and vibrant flavors. “When you cook a dish like the way people remember it should taste, you start winning over their trust,” he says. Click here to read the whole story. To read previous Du Jour features on local chefs and other culinary experts, click here.