John Folse, Emeril Lagasse, John Besh, and Manny Augello — the names of “culinary geniuses” topping the list of Louisiana’s best chefs. The Louisiana Office of Tourism selected Augello, an alumnus of the Beta Omicron chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, for its latest ranking of the 10 best restaurants and chefs to experience in the Bayou State.

The listing, posted on LouisianaTravel.com, placed the 2008 Northwestern State University graduate among a group of chefs who are making the state a food lover’s dream destination. “Great meals and Louisiana go together like gumbo and rice — you can’t think of one without the other. And behind every Louisiana dish is a chef who ensures that diners are getting an experience they won’t find anywhere else on Earth,” the news release stated.

With a 40-year award-winning veteran chef as a father and thriving family restaurants as training ground, Manny learned to cook the old-fashioned way, from the bottom up. Born and raised in Palermo, Sicily, Augello moved to south Louisiana as a child, soaking up the Cajun culture and style of cooking. This background seems to be an important part of his recipe for success.

Manny Augello’s Twitter bio sums it up: “obsessed chef & charcutier. culinary activist.  representative of the new garde. madly devoted to food & culture. kitchen junkie.” While executive chef at Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro in Lafayette, he was invited to cook at the Farm to Table Dinner at the James Beard House in New York. Augello is now co-owner of Bread & Circus Provisions in Lafayette, specializing in charcuterie and other “playful food.” As a culinary activist, he currently serves on the advisory board of Acadiana Food Circle as a representative for the Slow Food movement. In 2014, Augello was featured on The Cooking Channel’s popular show, ‘Eat the Street.’

Other chefs making the list: John Folse, Emeril Lagasse, John Besh, Sue Zemanick, Jeffrey Hansell, Aaron Burgau, Tory McPhail, Cory Bahr, Ryan André, Justin Girouard and Susan Spicer.

Read more about Louisiana culinary masters at http://www.louisianatravel.com/articles/top-10-best-chefs-louisiana