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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – For 39 years now, nearly 4 decades, the best chefs with a New Orleans twist have been doing lunch. They do lunch for everybody at Hilton New Orleans Riverside. And they do it for free.

When everybody’s full and  the check gets paid, the money all goes to St. Michael Special School in New Orleans.  That’s the school and workplace for people with intellectual disabilities.  The school educates special needs children and adults  in the greater New Orleans area.

WGNO News with a Twist features reporter Wild Bill Wood takes a taste test at the best lunch on the planet.

On the menu is a who’s who of cooking in New Orleans and across America:

  • Chef Andrea Apuzzo of Andrea’s
  • Chef John Besh of Restaurant August
  • Chef Leah Chase of Dooky Chase
  • Chef Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery/Balise
  • Chef John Folse of Restaurant R’evolution
  • Chef Goffredo Fraccaro
  • Chef Emeril Lagasse of Emeril’s
  • Chef Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace
  • Chef Reg Reggio of Zea
  • Chef Alon Shaya of Shaya
  • The Wong Brothers of Trey Yuen
  • Chef David Woodward

Everybody get the chance to snack on the creations from all these chefs.  And everybody takes home a cookbook containing 35 of the chefs’ recipes.