SoFAB is So Fab
SoFab is marking its 20th anniversary with a series of special events. There will be a book release party for the museum's first ever cookbook SoFAB Cook Book: Recipes from the Modern South, which will take place on June 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. Planned future celebrations will include brand new upcoming exhibits, a collaboration with Brandan "BMike" Odums of Studio Be, a event celebrating the 125th anniversary of Oysters Rockefeller, and a 20th anniversary gala. Visit southernfood.org for SoFab's complete events calendar.
Ever wonder how Popeyes' chicken and biscuits got started or the history behind the famous Sazerac cocktail?
It is easy to step back in time and learn about these New Orleans' favorites when you visit the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, an iconic home to such Louisiana artifacts as the vintage McKenzie's sign and the actual Brunnings' Restaurant bar of yesteryear. Located in the historic Dryades Market building at 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. in New Orleans, the Southern Food & Beverage Museum is a nonprofit institution showcasing a collection of informative and historical exhibits that cover everything from beignets to barbeque, crawfish to po-boys, and more.
Founded in 2004 by Elizabeth Williams, a New Orleans native, attorney, and published author, the Southern Food & Beverage Museum (abbreviated SoFAB) appeals to both locals and tourists by having them travel through time with each exhibit. Set up as a self-guided tour, the SoFAB museum explores the roots of Southern food and drinks, including an extensive gallery of food traditions unique to each of the Southern states, a Sign Gallery with restored artifacts including the old Barq's Root Beer and Commander's Palace signs, the Museum of the American Cocktail, an old-time Absinthe exhibit, and the legendary Leah Chase Louisiana Gallery. The museum also offers two state of the art kitchens that host community cooking classes, special events, and summer culinary camp for kids aged 7-13 years old.
"We are a food-obsessed city," Williams said. "And the museum gives us a place where people do not lose sight of how important food is in our culture."
Additionally, Williams mentioned that the SoFAB Museum has an outdoor exhibit called the Gumbo Garden, in which the plant beds represent three regions (the United States, Europe, and Africa) and the foods that are produced in those regions.
The museum also offers an unique educational experience for those interested in researching the role of food and beverages in society with their off-site culinary library and archive located at the Nunez Community College in St. Bernard Parish. This includes thousands of volumes of cookbooks, food and cocktail menus, magazines, pamphlets, and ephemera collected and donated to the SoFAB Museum.
"From the beginning in 2004, people gave us cookbooks, so we focused on developing an in-house library for our own internal research," stated Constance Jackson, interim CEO of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum since July 2023. "As it grew, we opened the research center in 2012. We now have menus of defunct restaurants and chefs' papers and notes—more than 40,000 items."
Both Jackson and Williams agree that the library and archive expansion has enriched and increased the understanding of the culinary history in the South.
"Our library and archive is an enormous resource," Williams added. "You can research everything from nutrition and development of agriculture to books on how to start a restaurant or a bar, as well as thousands of menus from around the world. We are constantly growing and continue to evolve."
Since its inception, locals and tourists have appreciated the flavorful and diverse exhibits of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum. Originally, the museum began with pop-ups around New Orleans. Its first official exhibit, "Toast of New Orleans," showcased the history and influences of beverages in the city. Over time, more donations of family artifacts were collected, which added to the exhibits and provided so much more to see. Finally, in 2014, the SoFAB Museum was established in their present and spacious 15,000 square feet location. "Our building is the original location of the Dryades Market [that] dated back to 1849," Williams said. "It was an open-air market with a canopy cover. You can still see the marks of where the aisles were on the floor."
Today, the exhibits are both historical and modern. As Jackson pointed out, the museum was shifting to more virtual programming with their cooking classes, podcasts, and blogs. "It becomes another way to tell our unique story to potential visitors who are not in New Orleans or who are local but unable to attend," Jackson observed.
Southern cuisine remains center stage at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum. Just within the last four years, Williams had established a podcast network called Nitty Grits, which is made up of a number of curated podcasts. Williams also hosts the podcast called Tip of the Tongue, which is free and posted on Mondays. Another online source of information is the free newsletter, which is posted on Sundays and features a behind-the-scenes look at what is going on at the SoFAB Museum and the Research Center at the Nunez Community College, as well as other projects.
"Anyone who grows up in New Orleans has a passion for food," Williams, who has authored her sixth book, put forth. "My most recent book is the SoFAB Cookbook, which is coming out in the summer to celebrate our 20th anniversary."
So if you are a die-hard foodie or someone who just enjoys learning about the history of Southern food culture, check out the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, which is open Thursdays through Mondays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $12 per adult, $9 for seniors/students, and free for children 10 years old and younger. Everyone who loves food will want to visit the Southern Food & Beverage Museum and get a taste of everything the museum has to offer. For more information, please check out their website, southernfood.org, or call (504) 569-0405.
