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Unfortunately, the West Baton Rouge Museum will remain closed on Friday, January 24th and the Lunchtime Lecture with Chef Charly Pierre will be postponed until further notice. Chef Pierre is very excited for this event and will reschedule for a future date.

Continue to follow the Museum to find out when a new date is scheduled. Stay warm everyone!

The West Baton Rouge Museum will host a Lunchtime Lecture on Friday, January 24, 2025 at 12 Noon featuring Food Network’s Chopped award-winning Chef Charly Pierre, owner of New Orleans restaurant, Fritai. Chef Pierre will speak on Haitian culture, south Louisiana culture, and how they intertwine, especially through his food! This program is accompanying the current traveling exhibit, Haitian Art: The Jacques Bartoli Collection. 

Charly Pierre has aspired to be a chef and a leader ever since he could remember. Growing up in his Haitian household naturally educated him on dishes deeply rooted in the family’s past. By the time Charly graduated high school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he was already running the line at his restaurant and received a scholarship to Southern New Hampshire University. After graduating and working five years in Boston managing, cooking, and serving, it was time for a change. In the fall of 2015, Charly moved to New Orleans where he and business partner, Eva Chereches saw the need for Haitian food in the city. Thus began the Fritai stall at the St. Roch Market. While at the market, Charly created a name for himself. He held numerous fundraisers for Haiti, received Zagat’s 30 Under 30 Award and Eater’s National Young Guns, and made several TV appearances including winning Food Network’s Chopped. Since that time, Friatai has now moved into its own brick and mortar space on Basin Street and has been serving award winning food and drink. The current restaurant has received Louisiana Cookin’s Chefs to Watch, Vogue’s Restaurant of the Year, EaterNOLA: Best New Restaurant, and James Beard: Best New Restaurant Nomination and Best Chef South Nomination. The restaurant was also featured on Bravo’s Top Chef. 

The exhibit, Haitian Art: The Jacques Bartoli Collection features paintings, sculptures, and sacred art flags. This art collection has been on view at the Grand Palais in Paris, the University of Los Angeles in California, the city de Suresnes in France, the Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, the American Natural History Museum in New York, the Lloyd Museum in Chicago, and now the West Baton Rouge Museum in Port Allen on view through January 26.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Anyone attending is welcome to bring a brown bag lunch or visit local eateries in the area before or after the presentation.