Kevin Belton - Kevin Beltons Cookin Louisiana: Flavors from the Parishes of the Pelican State

Flavors From the Parishes of the Pelican State

Kevin Belton

with Monica Belton

Photographs by Denny Culbert

Digital Edition 1.0

Text 2021 Kevin Belton

Photographs 2021 Denny Culbert

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by anymeans whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except briefportions quoted for purpose of review.

Published by

Gibbs Smith

P.O. Box 667

Layton, Utah 84041

1.800.835.4993 orders

www.gibbs-smith.com

Front cover designed by Ryan Thomann

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021930992

ISBN: 9781423658399 (ebook)

To my wife, my family, and all Louisianiansfrom the state andfrom the heart.

Kevin Belton

To Noah, Kevin, and Cookie Monster. You are my whole world and Ilove you with all my heart.

Monica Belton

Contents

Acknowledgments

Creating a cookbook is an all-encompassing culinary journeythat I love, but need so much help navigating. I am fortunate to have so many peoplehelping me every step along the way. First is my wife Monica, yall know she does itall, and then my family, who is always there to offer support and information.

Denny Culbert, for making something that tastes so good, look sogreat. To Michelle Branson and the Gibbs Smith team for offering incrediblywonderful support, and for helping us put our work into something tangible that youcan hold.

To Maura Kye-Casella from Don Congdon Associates for helping us everystep along the way, and leading us down the yellow brick road.

Lenny and Joanie Delbert for becoming family, and to Lenny for being afishing buddy, confidante, photographer, videographer, editor, and partner incrime.

To all of LouisianaLouisiana has a certain feel, a look, a sound, asmell, and a taste. And Louisiana has a heartbeat, a heartbeat that all Louisianianscontribute to. It is a heartbeat unlike any other that goes on and on. Moreimportantly, Louisiana is love. Love that we all want to share with everyone.

I want to thank everyone who takes this culinary journey with us. Istrive every day to have fun and share my experiences with food. It always feelsbetter to go through this wild and wonderful culinary journey with friends.

Da Crew

As the television host of Kevin Beltons Cookin Louisiana fromWYES-TV studios, it makes sense that you see me, but I always wish you could seeeveryone on the crew. Every person listed below worked incredibly hard to make theshow a success. They are all talented and wonderful people who have become family.This may sound crazy, but it takes all of these people to make me look so good, andthe show would not be the same without them. I wanted to you to see them and read afew things about them, so they became as real to you as they are to me.

President and CEOof WYES-TV Allan Pizzato

Vice President andCOO of WYES-TV Robin Cooper

ExecutiveProducer Jim Moriarty is Irish, and that says a lot, but hes also awonderful person and a great friend. He has the ability of seeing talent in people,putting those people in the right positions, and letting them do their jobs.

Producer/Director Terri Landry is a talented and tough producer. Shehas a vision for something and goes after it. We often have the same vision anddirection, and its weird, because we wonder if we have said things out loud, but wehavent, we are just thinking the same thing.

AssociateProducer Dawn Smith gets things done, and I love having her in mycorner. Dawn and her husband Allan have become great friends. She and Monica oftenplot and plan, but the end result is to make me look good.

ProductionCoordinator Darlene Kennedy makes things happen, and she is one of thesweetest people you could ever know.

TechnicalDirector Laura Combel works the switcher, switching between cameras forthe line cut. Laura also makes sure the cameras are in focus and lets the cameratechnicians know what to expect for the filming. Laura is married to Scotty and theyhave two cute little girls, Izzy and Remy, who also love to cook.

VideoDavid Kennedy watches the monitors, confirms we are in legal broadcast limits, andmakes adjustments as necessary when we record. Technically he is retired, but hecomes back when needed, and he is also married to Darlene Kennedy.

Development andSound Jim Tapley works in development, but since he worked in radioearlier in his career, it makes sense that he would help out with sound.

MediaOperations Fred Barrett is a staple at WYES, and he can fixanything!

Camera 1Dave Landry is married to Producer Terri, and is very good at his job. If you arelooking at me on screen, he shoots my left. He also loves boudin.

Camera 2Lenny Delbert, Sr. is an incredible cameraman, editor, fisherman, and friend. If youare looking at me on screen, he is the camera I face directly. Lenny and his wifeJoanie are close family friends. He was one of the few people who helped us plan oursurprise wedding. Lenny, Joanie, and their small herd of dachshunds live just a fewblocks from us.

Camera 3Rene Champagne operates the camera where I look when Im cooking at the stove.Because Im so tall, Rene stands on risers. Rene, Lenny Jr., and I share the samebirthday.

LightingLenny Delbert, Jr. is the son of Lenny Sr. and they are quite the dynamic duo. LennyJr. typically does lighting, but he is also an excellent cameraman. Lenny Jr. wasanother person who helped plan our surprise wedding. We also have the same weddinganniversary, which is a good thing since we can remind each other.

Camera 3Walter Bardell keeps his camera focused on me as I cook. I have known him for well overthirty years. I am also lucky enough to see him weekly at WWL (the CBS affiliate inNew Orleans). He is in demand!

JibOperator Scott Combel operates the jib, which is the big, high sweepingcamera that catches those beautiful overhead shots. He is married to LauraCombel.

Stage ManagerKelsi Schreiber has worked on all four seasons of my show. She has done a fewdifferent jobs, but she is mostly the floor director. She is four-feet-nine-inchestall, so I am literally TWO WHOLE FEET taller than she is. There are so manyincredibly funny moments with Kelsi because of our size difference, but there is noone I would rather take floor direction from.

Prompter StevenPatriquin has also worked on all of my cooking shows. He runs the teleprompter, andhe loves to eat. I dont know where he puts all that food.

Makeup IngridButler has worked as a makeup artist for WYES for many years, but this was the firsttime she worked on my show. I loved all the laughs and comic relief with her as wellas all of the makeup advice.