Listen "Jazz Fest Fun"
Episode Synopsis
This week, Louisiana Eats takes you to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where there's always an abundance of music, food, and art. We've got you covered on all fronts.
We begin with longtime vendor Greg Arcenaux, whose artisan woodworking is a perennial favorite in Jazz Fest's Louisiana Marketplace. Greg gives us a crash course in what sets his work apart from the rest.
Then, we take you on a mule-drawn ride with the Roman Candy man. On many an afternoon in New Orleans, you'll find Ronnie Kottemann on his 109-year-old cart on the streets of Uptown New Orleans. You can also visit Ronnie and his wagon every Jazz Fest, parked inside the fairgrounds near the Gentilly gate – the same spot he's occupied since the 1970s.
We also have a visit with our own house band, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, who perform at the festival each year. Members of the ensemble share some of their Jazz Fest gig memories with us, along with the meals they enjoy off and on the stage.
Finally, Steve Armbruster joins us in the studio to tell the tale of how the first Food Heritage Stage came to be and the key role his vintage Volkswagen played in those early years.
For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.
We begin with longtime vendor Greg Arcenaux, whose artisan woodworking is a perennial favorite in Jazz Fest's Louisiana Marketplace. Greg gives us a crash course in what sets his work apart from the rest.
Then, we take you on a mule-drawn ride with the Roman Candy man. On many an afternoon in New Orleans, you'll find Ronnie Kottemann on his 109-year-old cart on the streets of Uptown New Orleans. You can also visit Ronnie and his wagon every Jazz Fest, parked inside the fairgrounds near the Gentilly gate – the same spot he's occupied since the 1970s.
We also have a visit with our own house band, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, who perform at the festival each year. Members of the ensemble share some of their Jazz Fest gig memories with us, along with the meals they enjoy off and on the stage.
Finally, Steve Armbruster joins us in the studio to tell the tale of how the first Food Heritage Stage came to be and the key role his vintage Volkswagen played in those early years.
For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.
More episodes of the podcast Louisiana Eats
Happy Birthday, Leah Chase
03/01/2026
Louisiana Eats! 2025 Year In Review
27/12/2025
A Tribute To The Cake Man – Steve Himelfarb
19/12/2025
Happy Birthday, Jacques Pépin
13/12/2025
The Man, The Legend, Joe Baum!
06/12/2025
Eat It To Save It
29/11/2025
What We're Thankful For
22/11/2025
Celebrating Sustainable Seafood
15/11/2025
Southern Women's Culinary Voices
08/11/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.