2025 IFWTWA Conference

October 12-16 in Lafayette, LA

2025 IFWTWA Conference: Lafayette, Louisiana

Lafayette is known as the Happiest City in America, where people visit for an immersive experience. Lafayette has a distinct culinary identity as the epicenter of Cajun & Creole cuisine, earning them the title Best Culinary Town in the South by The Local Palate. Lafayette’s culinary scene is steeped in tradition and continues to evolve with a new generation of chefs, making it an incredible place to eat. No matter what time of year you visit Lafayette, they will have something for you to celebrate. Whether your passion is for their rich cultural history, the bustling culinary scene, or the distinctive blend of Cajun and Zydeco music, you can be sure you will leave with a smile.

Keynote Speaker

Kristen Preau, Jambalaya Girl

Kristen Preau, known as “Jambalaya Girl,” has always been driven by her love for New Orleans. Her passion for her hometown shaped her early career, from entertaining as a costumed character at Jazzland to interning at the Superdome and working in marketing and sales for the University of New Orleans Athletics. Preau has transformed her nickname and culinary passion into Jambalaya Girl New Orleans Food Products. This leading brand celebrates New Orleans cuisine with products based on family recipes, offering an easy and flavorful way to bring the authentic tastes, culture, and community of Louisiana to homes worldwide. Proudly made in New Orleans, all Jambalaya Girl products are specially blended by Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends.

Tastes, Tunes & Traditions: Exploring the Cultural Roots of Lafayette

Lafayette Parish and the surrounding Acadiana region sit at a rich cultural intersection. The story of this place is not singular but cumulative from Native American foundations, Acadian and French settler migrations, the deep legacies of Creole and African American communities, and a host of other cultural influences like German, Sicilian, Latin, Lebanese, and many more. Our panelists invite us into their world of memories, music, food, and practices that root them, as well as how their heritages interface, overlap, and resonate in the shared cultural landscape of Lafayette.

Moderator: Jesse Guidry, Vice President, Lafayette Travel

Panelists

Hali Dardar

Hali Dardar is an interaction designer, artist, community advocate, and tribal member of the United Houma Nation. Her work focuses on language revitalization, indigenous media, memory documentation, and community-based design. She co-founded the Houma Language Project and Bvlbancha Public Access, and has worked in collaboration with institutions such as the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. As a multimedia artist, she explores the “quilting of experience into a tapestry of visual memory,” weaving together personal narratives, cultural identity, and contemporary expression.

Erica Melancon Fox

Erica Melancon Fox is a cultural curator, memory keeper, and the founding force and Executive Director behind Maison Creole de Freetown, Lafayette’s first African American history and cultural museum, and is active in preserving and interpreting Creole heritage in Lafayette’s communities. In her work, she highlights the layered histories and ongoing stories of Freetown (a historically Black neighborhood in Lafayette), connecting people’s lived experience to traditions of food, music, memory, and civic life. Her passion is for creating a space where Creole heritage and African American stories are central to the narrative of Lafayette’s cultural identity.

Barry Jean Ancelet 

Barry Jean Ancelet is Professor Emeritus of Francophone Studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and a lifelong Cajun (born in Church Point, raised in Lafayette). He holds a doctorate in anthropology and linguistics from the Université de Provence. Over decades, he has published widely on Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole cultures, folklore, oral tradition, and music, including major works such as Cajun Music: Origins and Development. He played a key role in founding and directing Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and has long served as a public bridge between academic scholarship and vernacular tradition. Under his poet alias Jean Arceneaux, he has also produced poetry, storytelling performances, and song lyrics.

Culinary Panel

Moderator: Andrew Harris, executive producer and co-host, The SoCal Restaurant Show

Andy Harris moderates the culinary panel. He is the executive producer and co-host of The SoCal Restaurant Show, heard weekly since 2012 on Saturday mornings in Southern California on the 50,000-watt AM 830 KLAA, owned by the MLB Angels baseball team and broadcasting out of Angel Stadium in Anaheim. He is a veteran specialty radio show producer and is also an accredited food, wine and travel journalist.

Coby Bailey, Lafayette Fire Captain and Winner, Season 4, The Great American Recipe on PBS

Coby Bailey is a firefighter, husband, and proud father of two. Growing up, he was immersed in culinary traditions passed down through generations, with his earliest inspirations coming from his mother and grandmother, both exceptional Cajun cooks. For Coby, cooking is more than nourishment; it’s a way of life and a connection to his heritage. Today, he proudly carries on that legacy, mastering traditional dishes that define Cajun culture. His signature dish, Stuffed Chicken with Andouille Sauce, embodies the hearty, soulful spirit of his roots. Coby’s culinary skills, along with Cajun heart, culminated in his winning Season 4 of PBS’ “The Great American Recipe” competition series for serious home cooks. He’s also the creator of the proprietary line of Captain Coby’s Cajun Seasonings.

Kelsey Leger, Executive Chef & Co-Founder, Five Mile Eatery

Kelsey Leger is a Louisiana-born chef with a passion for local sourcing and sustainability. Her culinary career began in New York City at One Lucky Duck/Pure Food & Wine, and she later returned to Acadiana to train a bit in permaculture at Gotreaux Family Farm. In 2015, she co-founded Scratch Farm Kitchen, helping establish it as a beloved part of Lafayette’s dining scene before moving on to launch a new vision. Today, she serves as executive chef and co-founder of Five Mile Eatery, a woman-owned sober space that has quickly become a cornerstone of Lafayette’s food culture with a menu of nourishing food and organic coffee.

Madonna Broussard, 2nd Generation Proprietor of Laura’s II, aka The Plate Lunch Queen

Madonna Broussard, also known as “The Plate Lunch Lady,” is a third-generation restaurateur and the owner of Laura’s II Café in Lafayette, Louisiana. The restaurant, known for its Creole soul food, was started by her grandmother, Laura Williams Broussard, and carries on the family’s legacy of cooking with “love, time, and consistency.” Madonna was named a semifinalist for the prestigious 2025 James Beard Award for “Best Chef: South.”

Sullivan Zant, Executive Chef, Vestal

Sullivan Zant is the Executive Chef and one of the Founders of Vestal in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, where he was born and raised. With over a decade of professional culinary experience under his belt, Chef Sullivan currently serves as the culinary visionary behind Vestal, a distinguished restaurant in Lafayette that redefines Southern cuisine with a contemporary approach. At Vestal, Chef Sullivan showcases seasonal vegetables and proteins, expertly prepared using live fire cooking techniques on a wood-burning grill and oven. Complementing the culinary offerings is a meticulously curated cocktail and wine program, reflecting Chef Sullivan’s dedication to providing a holistic dining experience in the heart of the Acadiana region.

Workshops

Kathryn Anderson: Unlock the Power of Benable: A Game-Changing Social Media Platform for Travel Writers

Kathryn is a freelance travel writer, blogger, content creator, and the author of the upcoming travel guidebook 100 Things To Do In Vancouver Before You Die (Reedy Press, Spring 2026). She is also the travel and wellness expert behind the award-winning website Coffee and Mascara. Kathryn teaches practical strategies for balancing content creation with self-care, so creators can thrive both online and off. As the Social Media Chair for the IFWTWA Board of Directors, Kathryn is passionate about helping travel writers and bloggers leverage social media to connect with audiences and grow their brands.

Susan Lanier-Graham: Write Better with Bots: Using AI Without Losing Your Voice

Susan has spent her career at the intersection of storytelling and technology. She is the publisher and founder of Wander With Wonder, a content creator, freelance writer, and public speaker, and she helps travel writers and solopreneurs navigate new digital tools.Just like she did back when she helped launch Microsoft Windows 95 training programs to the world, she believes best way to work with new technology is to learn it, adapt it, and use it to our advantage. The secret to AI success is to set ethical guidelines, understand the tools, and retain your control at every step of the process.

Winemaker Panel

Moderator: Kelsey Kramer, Moderator, Director of Education, Hill Country Wine Academy

Kelsey Kramer is a theater major turned wine professional and educator, currently navigating the WSET Diploma program with 13+ years of hospitality, restaurant, and wine experience under her belt. After earning a B.F.A. in Acting at Ball State University, she started studying wine full-time with Takashi’s Japanese-Fusion restaurant in Chicago. Kelsey decided to dedicate her efforts to the growing Texas wine industry and to pursue her studies as a wine educator through the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. In 2019, she started her journey with William Chris Vineyards’ interactive virtual education program, and wine education became her full-time pursuit at the Texas Hill Country-based William Chris Wine Co. In 2022, she was promoted to the Director of Education there (now known as the Hill Country Wine Academy) and became a certified WSET educator. With a colorful background, Kelsey’s educational style is performative, engaging and positive. Kelsey’s classes typically focus on hospitality, tasting technique, and looking at Texas wine through an international wine industry lens.

Jon McPherson, Winemaker, Carter Creek Winery, Texas Hill Country and Carter Estate Winery & South Coast Winery, Temecula, CA

Jon McPherson is a lifetime oenophile and master winemaker overseeing the production of the broad portfolio of over 35 wines produced at the three family-owned Carter wineries – South Coast and Carter Estate, both in Temecula, California, and Carter Creek in Texas Hill Country. His winemaking journey started in Lubbock, Texas, learning from his first mentor, his father, ‘Doc’ McPherson, who was a chemistry professor making “experimental” wine batches at home. His father founded and pioneered the modern Texas wine industry by purchasing land, planting grapes and founding Llano Estacado Winery in the late 1970s. McPherson worked at Llano Estacado until relocating to Southern California’s Culbertson Winery in 1985, then moving next to Thornton Winery, both in the Temecula Valley, where he was dubbed “America’s Most Award-Winning Sparkling Winemaker.” He joined the Carter family wineries in 2003, and during his tenure at South Coast Winery has been designated a five-time winner of California State Fair’s “Golden State Wineryof the Year.”

Kim McPherson, Owner & Winemaker, McPherson Cellars, Lubbock, TX

Kim McPherson has carried forward the legacy of his father, Clint “Doc” McPherson, who is, and will always be, recognized as one of the founding fathers of modern Texas wine. Inspired by this foundation, Kim studied enology and viticulture at UC Davis in the 1970s and worked in Napa Valley during its wine renaissance. Still, his heart remained in Texas, where he believed the High Plains held untapped promise. After more than twenty years of crafting wines at local wineries, Kim launched McPherson Cellars in 2000 as a tribute to his father. Today, the winery produces sustainably farmed, small-batch wines exclusively from the Texas High Plains. Twice nominated by the James Beard Foundation, Kim continues to play an innovative and dynamic role in advancing Texas wine while honoring the tradition his father began.

Nikhila Narra Davis, Kalasi Cellars

Nikhila jumped headfirst into the Texas wine industry in 2013 with the creation of Narra Vineyards, which now has 140 acres under her management. Her drive to understand every facet of wine led her to work a harvest at Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley, earn an introductory sommelier certification, complete a viticulture certificate from Texas Tech University, and a Winemaking Certificate from UC Davis. She continues her education through mentorships with respected winemakers across the country, and is now regarded as one of the preeminent female grape growers and winemakers in Texas. In 2017, she founded Kalasi Cellars in Fredericksburg, TX, with her husband Greg, expanding her role from vineyard to glass. At Kalasi, she brings together her Indian heritage, deep viticultural knowledge, and winemaking expertise to craft estate-driven wines that reflect both place and purpose.

Katy Jane Seaton, Proprietor, Farmhouse Vineyards

Katy Jane Seaton, co-owner of Farmhouse Vineyards, marks her 20th year in Texas Wine in 2025. A leader in viticulture and Ag advocacy, she has advanced the reputation of Texas fruit through two decades of innovation, marketing expertise, and industry service. At Farmhouse Vinyards, her vision and deep agricultural passion shape meaningful wines and experiences that reflect the special character of the Texas High Plains.

IFWTWA Writers in Attendance:

Media Placements:

2025 Lafayette Day Trips, Conference, Wine and Culinary Panels

Conference Pre Trips

Conference Post Trips

2025 Conference Committee

Cori Solomon
Andrew Harris
Robin Smith
Susan Lanier-Graham
David Nershi

IFWTWA Board of Directors

Cori Solomon, President
David Nershi, First Vice President
Andrew M. Harris, Second Vice President
Robin Smith, Treasurer
Judi Cohen, Secretary
Kat Anderson, Director, Social Media
Debbra Brouillette, Director, Media Trips
Susan Lanier-Graham, Director, Media Trips
Linda Kissam, Director
Amy Piper, FWT Magazine Editor

2025 IFWTWA Conference

October 12-16 in Lafayette, LA