Marcelle Bienvenu talks recession menus

The key ingredients restaurants need during a recession are buying local and simplifying menus, says Marcelle Bienvenu, renowned Louisiana chef and food columnist. Baton Rouge, unlike markets in Lafayette and Houma-Thibodeaux with rootsy dining experiences, has more white-tablecloth restaurants and fine dining. Yet, the upscale eateries seem to be surviving, thanks to scaled-down, less expensive menus such as Sullivan’s $69 for two three-course dinners and Juban’s $16 three-course lunches. “The menu may not be as varied, but if the restaurant uses good products, it doesn’t have to be over the top,” says Bienvenu, who believes the Red Stick Farmer’s Market is a great, inexpensive tool for helping restaurant owners buy locally. “That’s going to be the ticket.”—Rebecca Breeden