Thanks to Emeril Lagasse and his Serious Skillets & One Pot Wonders cookbook, several bloggers across the country came together in September 2011 to do a big promotion, and this is where I met Jay Ducote, also an LSU graduate like me, a foodie, tailgating, and football fan. Afterwards, those of us that wanted to stay in touch created Virtual Potluck, and have worked together on many international food campaigns representing great brands.
Jay is the blogger behind Bite and Booze (2009) and resides in Baton Rouge. In the last 5 years he has really kicked butt by increasing his career goals to include being a food and beverage writer, radio host (2011), speaker, video producer, culinary personality, chef, and my all time favorite… a hugger.
Though we chat on social media and work together, I have met up with Jay in person a couple of times on return visits to Baton Rouge here and here, and am so excited for Jay, that he has been selected as a finalist on the Season 11 hit reality competition show, Food Network Star! My friend Marti Duncan in Birmingham, Alabama almost won the darn thing (runner up!) a couple of years ago, and I think Jay will bring this one home! Watch this Sunday night, June 7 at 8pm!
Jay has also been named one of the top 100 amateur chefs in America by FOX’s MasterChef, has appeared as himself on HBO’s drama series Treme, and has been featured on multiple programs such as Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food Network, Eat St. on the Cooking Channel, and Last Call Food Brawl on Destination America.
The Bite and Booze Radio Show, produced and hosted by Jay, also won a Taste Award for best food or drink radio broadcast in the country in 2014, and the Uniquely Louisiana Award from the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters in 2015.
On top of all that, Jay launched his own Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce in 2014 (I’ve got it and the T-shirt!), and released his wine, Jay D’s Blanc du Bois, a collaboration with West Monroe’s Landry Vineyards, in 2015. Jay’s goal is to create content and celebrate culinary culture as he continues to cook, write, speak, entertain and hug for a living.
Please join me in wishing my friend, Jay Ducote, all the best on his Food Network Star adventure, and use the hashtag #GeauxJay if watching!
Note: If looking for recipes to use his tasty Barbecue Sauce with? Head here.
