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Southern Food And Beverage Museum Cuts Ribbon On A New Building

Nina Feldman
/
WWNO
The food traditions of each Southern state are represented in the museum's Gallery of the States.

Everything about the Southern Food and Beverage Museum is a tribute to the legacy of food in southern states — even its physical building.

Architect Jonathan Tate says the new SOFAB building took on a number of identities over the years. It was originally the Dryades Market. During WWII it was a motor pool for the military; it was a jeweler and the Ocean Seafood Market.

“What we did here in terms of the design is peel all of that away, so what you see here is what the market might’ve looked like in the 1930s,” said Tate.

On top of honoring New Orleans food and culture, the museum is dedicated to food and culture throughout the South. State Lieutenant Governer Jay Dardenne was on hand for the ribbon-cutting. He says the museum’s broader appeal will ensure a real impact on O.C. Haley Blvd. and the surrounding area.

“Obviously, there’s been a lot of work and effort put in to make sure that this neighborhood is vibrant and has new magnets to bring people to it, and this is a pretty strong magnet right here,” Dardenne said.

The museum’s opening events are testament to this balance of honoring local culture and appealing to a wider audience. International celebrity chef Jeremiah Tower will deliver a lecture, a workshop for aspiring chefs in the Greater New Orleans Area, and host a class for elementary school students.

SoFAB Director Liz Williams assured guests that the ribbon cutting is just the beginning. The museum will open with featured exhibits and a full bar and restaurant later this year.