LAFAYETTE PARISH (LAFAYETTE) — Okra may be a divisive vegetable, but for those who know how to cook it right, it’s a beloved Southern classic.
“It’s a delicacy, really, because a lot of people like okra,” one festival-goer said. “But a lot of people don’t know how to cook it the right way.”
Celebrated across the South and deeply rooted in African heritage, okra was the star of the show this weekend at the 4th Annual Okra Festival, held at Heymann Park in Lafayette.
Five cooks served up steaming cups of okra-based dishes—all free of charge—showcasing a range of regional flavors and family recipes.
“I love it,” one attendee said. When asked their favorite preparation, they replied, “Smothered over rice.”
Another chimed in: “Mine is smothered over rice, yes.”
Among the offerings was the festival’s only seafood dish, prepared by Tenesha Chenier and her husband.
“It’s smoked meat, sausage, crab meat, crab claws, lobster meat,” Chenier said, describing their pot. “We cooked last year for the Okra Festival, and we had a good time. Everyone ate the whole pot.”
On the other side of the pavilion, two local school food service workers dished out a different specialty.
“Our dish is chicken, sausage and okra gumbo over rice,” said Karen Sampa, a food technician at Lafayette High School, who cooked alongside Donald Steiner, food service director for Lafayette Christian Academy.
Sampa and Steiner said their recipes come from generations before them.
“Our family showed us to do this, helped us to do this, and showed us how to cook the okra — so it’s very good,” Sampa said. “I wanna say maybe 21 — that’s how old I was when I learned.”
Now, Sampa said, cooking okra is a way to carry on her culture.
Asked what she hopes people taste in her food, she replied: “The seasoning, the blends — and the Creole. The Creole tasting.”
