Mardi Gras at the Table: King Cake, Culture, and Culinary Legacy

This special Mardi Gras edition of Walk-In Talk steps away from the stove and into tradition.

Rather than a typical cooking session, this episode centers on king cake as cultural ritual, bringing together James Beard winners, Michelin-starred perspective, and one of the most respected food writers covering New Orleans today.

Mr. Johnny Clutch, Pooch Rivera personally drove multiple king cakes from New Orleans to the studio, honoring the idea that some foods deserve to be carried, not shipped. At the table are king cakes from Brennan's Restaurant, gifted by the Brennan family, a James Beard Award–winning king cake from Dong Phuong Bakery, and a collaborative cake from James Beard recipient Neal Bodenheimer, owner of Cure and board chair of Tales of the Cocktail, created with Ayu Bakehouse and baked by Kelly Jacques, Food & Wine's Best New Chef of 2025.

Joining the conversation is writer and author Matt Haines, making his third Mardi Gras-time appearance on the show, helping unpack what Mardi Gras and king cake truly represent beyond spectacle.

Also in studio is one-Michelin-star chef Michael Collantes, who brings a Michelin-level lens to tradition and helps bring a cocktail recipe from Bodenheimer to life.

This episode connects James Beard and Michelin worlds, chefs and writers, ritual and evolution, showing how food culture endures when it's treated with respect.

This isn't about recipes.
It's about meaning.

• King cake is ritual, not novelty
  Timing, intention, and origin matter more than trend or distribution.

• Tradition doesn't conflict with excellence
  James Beard and Michelin recognition can coexist with deep cultural respect.

• The journey is part of the story
  Physically transporting food reinforces its value and cultural weight.

• Food, drink, and storytelling are inseparable
  Cocktails, baked goods, and conversation together preserve memory and meaning.

• Writers and chefs protect culture in different but complementary ways
  Both are essential to keeping culinary traditions alive.

Brand Partners

• Metro Foodservice Solutions
  https://www.metro.com

• RAK Porcelain USA
  https://www.rakporcelain.com

• Crab Island Seafood Dip
  https://www.crabislandseafooddip.com

• Citrus America
  https://www.citrusamerica.com

Cause Partners

• The Burnt Chef Project (North America)
  https://www.theburntchefproject.com

• Operation BBQ Relief
  https://operationbbqrelief.org

• Hogs for the Cause
  https://hogsforthecause.org