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Poppy Tooker

Host of Louisiana Eats!

Poppy is the host and executive producer of the weekly show, Louisiana Eats! Food personality, culinary teacher and author, Poppy Tooker is passionate about food and the people who bring it to the table.

Poppy provides weekly restaurant commentary on, “Steppin’ Out” (WYES TV). Her book, The Crescent City Farmers Market Cookbook received a Tabasco cookbook award and was named “Cookbook of the Year” by New Orleans Magazine.She was recognized by the Times-Picayune as a “Hero of the Storm” for her work reviving New Orleans restaurants and food providers following Hurricane Katrina. The International Association of Cooking Professionals recognized Poppy’s rebuilding efforts at their annual conference in April 2008, with their first ever, Community Service Award.

For over 25 years, Poppy’s cooking classes have centered on history and tradition as well as the food science behind her preparation.

  • For foodies and food lovers, eating is more than just a daily necessity – it's an all-consuming passion. While this can be mostly a good thing, the long term effects of food obsession can have their drawbacks. Nationally prominent comedian and actor Dan Ahdoot knows these downsides all too well. In his debut memoir, Undercooked, Dan examines his emotional relationship with food starting from childhood, and provides both an honest and comedic look at where that has gotten him.
  • December is upon us, and we're making merry this festive season by discovering new mixed drinks and getting the stories behind some iconic cocktails.
  • The elves are busy in Santa's workshop at this time of year! So as we head into the big holiday gift-giving time, Louisiana Eats is talking with some home-grown, Louisiana elves for delicious inspiration. We speak with Jady Regard, Chief Nut Officer of Cane River Pecan Company, visit New Orleans chocolatier Christopher Nobles of Piety and Desire Chocolate, and celebrate 40 years of Orleans Coffee with Bob Arceneaux.
  • In our increasingly fast-paced world, traditional foods and foodways often have trouble competing with speed and convenience. But never fear. All over the planet there are people working to save the superior flavor, nutrition, and cultural significance of heritage foods. On this week's show, we introduce you to some of our greatest heritage food warriors. Guests include Sarah Lohman, Casey Corn. and members of Slow Food USA.
  • Japan may once have seemed like a world away, but the most delicious elements of Japanese food and drink culture have become increasingly embedded in our American psyche. On this week's show, we celebrate the complexity and craftsmanship of Japanese drinking culture.
  • Who taught you how to cook? Perhaps it was a favorite family member or Julia Child on public television. Maybe you devour cookbooks on the weekend just for fun. The education of a professional chef can be just varied – be it a formal degree or on-the-job training. On this week's show, we explore culinary learning. We visit the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and speak with educators Dee Lavigne and Anne Willan.
  • As we creep closer to October 31, Louisiana Eats is getting into the spooky spirit with our annual Halloween episode. This year, we've cooked up some pretty delicious and unsettling tales for you! Guests include culinary historian Sarah Lohman, who travels back in time to share the earliest food traditions surrounding death, and bartenders Kelsey Ramage and Erin Hayes, who discuss their Halloween-themed pop-up bar experience called Black Lagoon.
  • The way we eat and talk about food is linked to our individual and collective identities. On this week's show, we look at the origins of some of our favorite foods and common misconceptions about them. We speak with journalist and food historian Lolis Eric Elie, author Anya von Bremzen, and playwright and stage director Eva Doumbia.
  • Less than an hour's drive from New Orleans' French Quarter, Baton Rouge, and Mississippi's Gulf Coast is Lake Pontchartrain's Northshore. The charming towns of Madisonville, Mandeville, and Abita Springs are filled with hospitality and delicious dining opportunities. On this week's show, we cross the Causeway to visit our Northshore neighbors. We bring you an oral history of the Covington Farmers Market, meet Torre and David Solazzo of Covington's Del Porto Ristorante and the Greyhound, and visit Backwater Farmstead in Bush, Louisiana.
  • There's a mouthful of memories in every family – especially if your family is in the food biz! On this week's show, we hear from New Orleanians whose parents and grandparents gave them a passion for food and a love for their community.