In South Louisiana folks often say we we don’t eat to live, we live to eat. Stephanie’s guests on this edition of Out to Lunch have taken that Louisiana passion for food and turned it into business enterprises.

Ryan McNeil is the founder and co-owner of Fresh Kitchen, a growing company that sells freshly prepared, prepackaged and healthful meals from two Baton Rouge locations. Fresh Kitchen has only been in business for a little over one year and already it is expanding, with plans to open still more stores in the future. 

Erin Nugent is co-founder of Five Seaons. Kicking off with the publication of their eponymous cookbook, Erin and her company have a plan for world domination built around seasonal food availability and a 5th season for those evergreen recipes for all seasons. If things go according to the business plan you’ll be able to say you heard it here first.

Malcom Young is Baton Rouge’s Pied Piper of Salsa: his loyal foodie fans follow his Malco’s Magnificent Salsa to the Saturday morning Red Stick Farmer’s Market where he regularly sells out. Now they can find Malco’s in stores around Baton Rouge, spreading to New Orleans, and like Five Seasons, soon the rest of the world.

Placed between the two typically regarded poles of Louisiana cooking – New Orleans and Lafayette – Baton Rouge is stepping up its culinary business game. Watch this space, foodies, and get a taste of Baton Rouge.

Photos at Mansur’s on the Boulevard by Ken Stewart.