Baton Rouge is staking its claim as Louisiana’s up and coming culinary capital. Offering more than just traditional Southern cuisine, Baton Rouge chefs and restauranteurs are challenging the status quo by introducing new flavors to the area through international and fusion cuisines. Amongst these chefs slinging out delicious plate after delicious plate is Aimee Tortorich.
Originally from False River, Louisiana, Aimee left the state to join the Navy in her early twenties. Through the Navy, she travelled to many international locations, eventually landing in San Diego where she decided to pursue an education in the culinary arts. Eight years after leaving Louisiana, Aimee found her way home from California to Baton Rouge. Once back, she realized the Baton Rouge of today is much different than the one she left. The culinary scene – once boring and traditional – was in the beginning of a food revolution.
Find out how Aimee is adding her unique flare to the area’s culinary scene as a chef in Baton Rouge.
The Chef
With a passion for cuisine firmly in tow, Aimee immediately enrolled in classes at Baton Rouge’s Louisiana Culinary Institute upon her arrival home. After graduating with her culinary degree in 2014, she was ready to dive head first into the region’s food revolution, and knew exactly how she was going to do it – fusion cuisine.
Aimee and many other innovative Baton Rouge chefs are pushing the boundaries and bringing the area new concepts like Soji, White Star Market, Cocha, and Kalurah Street Grill. The influx of new restaurants and flavors has caught the attention of many and was what led Baton Rouge to being named a top foodie destination in 2018 by The Meetings Magazines.
Now that Aimee has made her mark as a top chef in the area, she is continuing to push boundaries as she starts up her newest entrepreneurial venture, the Guest Chef.
The Entrepreneur
Offering the perfect mix of big-city resources and a close-knit community, Baton Rouge has a reputation as a place where moonshot business ideas become a reality. And that’s true for Aimee’s newest concept, The Guest Chef. Revolving around community, culinary arts and collaboration, the Guest Chef will place Aimee in various restaurants around the region for a night to collaborate with the restaurant’s chef on special menus. Fusing cooking styles together, the concept is meant to give community members a one-of-a-kind culinary experience.
While Aimee is travelling around the area collaborating with various Baton Rouge chefs, we know one thing is for sure – she will be celebrating with food no matter where she’s at.
The Celebrator
With a career bringing people together through good eats, Aimee fits right in to Baton Rouge’s culture of celebration. While the world may know us for our tailgate traditions (as they should), our passion goes beyond the football field. Locals celebrate throughout the year with unique festivals that showcase our cuisine, our connection to the river, and our culture. Innovative chefs like Aimee are driving that momentum and making sure Baton Rouge’s most treasured amenity – its food – is enjoyed by anyone willing to join the party.
When you think of innovative chefs, #thinkBR.
There’s a lot more to Baton Rouge than all of us might think. We have great job opportunities, the friendliest people, a culture like nowhere else, exciting festivals, incredible cuisine, a wide variety of amazing parks and outdoor activities, and the list goes on and on. To find more #thinkBR stories, visit brac.org/thinkBR.