Dine Roundup: News on Ruth’s Hummus, City Club, Jay Ducote at the James Beard House and more

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Ruth’s Hummus expands its retail footprint

Ruth’s Recipes, the maker of Ruth’s Hummus, doubled its retail footprint in May, putting the Baton Rouge-made hummus in more than 80 stores in the region. The expansion came about via agreements with Associated Grocers and Associated Wholesale Grocers to put Ruth’s Hummus in stores from Lake Charles to Gulf Shores, Alabama, as well as 43 Rouses Supermarkets and five Breaux Mart Supermarkets.

The team behind Ruth’s Hummus is producing and packaging more than a ton of hummus a month, according to a press release.

“It’s so exciting to see our little family startup have such great success and growth over the past three years,” company founder and co-owner Kathy Broha said in the press release.

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Chef Eric Brandt Returns to the City Club

The City Club of Baton Rouge has announced the return of Eric Brandt as executive chef of the high-profile club’s kitchen. He will replace chef Eric Arceneaux, who has left for a new opportunity in Georgia.

Brandt is a Baton Rouge native and graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. He trained under his father, the legendary Charles Brandt, at Chalet Brandt from 1984 to 2002.

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Jay Ducote takes his talents to the Big Apple

Baton Rouge chef and Food Network Star alum Jay Ducote will cook an LSU-themed tailgate dinner for 80 guests at the world-renowned James Beard House in New York City on July 21.

Ducote will cook a five-course dinner, inspired by some of the dishes he has cooked at tailgates. The dinner will also include appetizers paired with cocktails and wines featuring Ducote’s Blanc Du Bois from the Landry Vineyards, the Vending Machine Winery and Donner-Peltier Distillers.

Ducote started a GoFundMe page to finance the trip. Read the full story on Daily Report.

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Lit Pizza comes to Baton Rouge

Lit Pizza, a new fast-casual, wood-fired pizza eatery by the founders of Izzo’s Illegal Burrito, is coming to 3930 Burbank Drive in the Southgate shopping center this summer.

The restaurant will offer a “craft your own” experience, giving guests the opportunity to customize their pizzas. Prices start at $6 for a cheese pizza, and range to $8 for unlimited topping selections. Dough will be freshly spun, made daily and fired to create light, crispy thin crust pizza. Lit Pizza will also feature locally sourced proteins and vegetables, gluten-free dough and vegan cheese options.

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Louisiana shrimp season to begin May 23

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has set the statewide spring inshore shrimp season for May 23 at 6 a.m.

The commission disregarded data found by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries that indicated the shrimp season should start earlier in the Barataria, Timbalier, Terrebonne and Vermilion-Teche basins.