Welcome! The Louisiana Restaurant Association is one of the largest business organizations in the state, representing more than 7,500 restaurant operations and related businesses.
The restaurant industry in Louisiana directly employs 140,000 people and is expected to generate $4.8 billion in sales during 2008.
Every year, the LRA hosts the Louisiana Foodservice EXPO! Register here to attend as either an "Attendee" or an "Exhibitor".
Association NewsLatest News (06/27/2008) Since June 1, the LRA Education Foundation has certified 172 servers in the Louisiana's BEST program and 228 servers have attended the Employee Level ServSafe training free of charge, courtesy of the contribution form Absolut Spirits Company.
(06/18/2008) Congratulations to LRA members Saul Rubio, of La Carreta's and Ema Haq of Ema's and Bailey's Restaurants, who were selected in the top 20 finalists for the National Restaurant Association's Faces of Diversity program.
(06/13/2008) The LRA is urging members to contact their distributors to find out if tomatoes served in their restaurants are from the 18 states on the safe list. Cherry tomatoes, Louisiana tomatoes and those that still have the vine attached are on the safe list according to the US Food and Drug Adminstration.
(06/03/2008) Response has been great for the FREE training made possible by a generous donation from Absolut Spirits Company.
Make reservations now to have your staff trained for FREE through the In-House ServSafe two-hour course and Louisiana's BEST, required alcohol server training.
These courses are being offered to LRA members in the 20 parishes affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita at no charge through a generous contribution from Absolut Spirits Company. Call Laurie at (504) 454-2277 or via e-mail at lauriec@LRA.org to learn more.
(05/19/08) The 55th Annual Louisiana Foodservice EXPO Exhibitor Kit is now online.
Click here to view.
(05/14/2008) The LRA Board of Directors applauds the repeal of the Stelly Plan as introduced in SB 87 by Sen. Buddy Shaw. To read the press release issued, please
click here.
(05/06/2008) Read the latest message from 2008 LRA Chair Jerry Kolniak and see what the LRA's got cookin' this month!
Click here(04/16/2008) EXPO Exhibitors can now register online!
Click here.
(04/08/2008)The casting crew for Bravo’s Top Chef Season 5 is coming to New Orleans, Monday, April 14 to search out chefs with a passion for food, creativity, knowledge of cooking techniques and trends, and oodles of charisma. The casting site is Bayona Restaurant, 430 Rue Dauphine, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Please check
www.BravoTV.com/casting over the next few days, the application will be posted shorted for you to download.
(03/31/2008) In 2008, the NRAEF Scholarships Program will award $1.7 million in scholarships to students pursuing an education in restaurant and foodservice-related studies.
To see if you are eligible for an NRAEF Scholarship, visit
www.nraef.org/scholarships or call 800.765.2122, ext. 738. Apply today!
(03/28/2008) The legendary Brennan family of Commander’s Palace fame was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America's Hall of Fame last night.
The New Orleans family is one of only three families to ever win CIA's leadership award. Congratulations!
(03/23/2008) Al Copeland Sr. died in Germany today after undergoing cancer treatment. Copeland was best known for the Popeyes Fried Chicken chain started in the late 1970s.
He was inducted in to the Louisiana Restaurant Association's Hall of Fame in 1995 for his leadership and vision.
(03/20/08) The 7th Annual
TASTE OF THE TOWN is Friday, April 4, 2008 at Lafreniere Park in Metairie. For tickets, contact Pam St. Pierre at (504) 210-0670 or
www.tasteofthetown.info.
The
3rd Annual NIGHT OF RED & WHITE is Thursday, April 10, 2008 at the ULL Alumni House in Lafayette. For ticket info, contact Dianne Guidry at (337) 234-5935
(03/14/08) The Louisiana Foodservice EXPO is August 2-4 in New Orleans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The 55th EXPO is co-sponsored by Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association and Alabama Restaurant Association.
For Association News from February 2008 and earlier, click here. 
