For 32 years, Chefs Evening has been bringing in proceeds for university academics and scholarships. 

Chefs Evening took place on Mar. 13 from 5 to 8:00 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom and included restaurants and vendors, a live and silent auction, the ultimate wine raffle and Corks & Kegs raffle along with support from various patrons and volunteers. Benefits will go towards areas of academics and scholarships that are in most need. 

Jacmel Inn has been a vendor for Chefs Evening since its conception. The restaurant attends each year to support the students as well as the city of Hammond.

“Southeastern is very vital to our community,” said general manager for Jacmel Inn Chanc Kinchen. “The students are really essential to the business atmosphere here and of the restaurant community. They are our support class. They help fill our employee positions. The one thing about Chefs Evening is all the chefs come together. All the restaurants come together. Everybody works together as a team to showcase what Hammond has to offer.”

Some attendees for Chefs Evening make it each year. They continue to come and support the campus’ students.” 

“I’ve been to every Chefs Evening since the beginning, my wife and I,” said Columbia Theatre Director Roy Blackwood. “It is very, very important in these times to support the university, especially the academic programs. Sometimes they have easier times getting money for athletics. But to get money for the academics, it is a very important thing.”

Others in attendance came out to show their support in raising money for the university.

“I’m here tonight to represent Southeastern as Miss Southeastern,” said Miss Southeastern 2016 and senior kinesiology major Alexis LaPlante. “I really hope that we can raise a lot of money for the school and support Southeastern as a whole. As Miss Southeastern, I am required to be here but I am very excited to be here.”

Another goal for some of the restaurants serving at Chefs Evening was to show what all Hammond could offer.

“There are people who don’t live in the city of Hammond that come to these events,” said Kinchen. “They are alumni from the past and they get to see what we have to offer; that we can compete with the big cities like New Orleans or the other big food destinations. We have some very talented chefs in our community that deserve some recognition.”

The crowd for Chefs Evening were pleased with the support of Southeastern leaders to help host events such as Chefs Evening along with the evolution of the event over the years. 

“We are in a very difficult financial time right now and we need everything we can to support the university,” said Blackwood. “In the beginning, we were over in Twelve Oaks Cafeteria which is not even used anymore. It grew and it got very popular and it got really crowded, really fast. They moved it to the university center and several years it was there. For a few years we were at the Pennington Student Activity Center.”

With Chefs Evening taking place in the ballroom, it gave for an elegant setting with fine cuisine.

“It is gorgeous outside and the food is superb,” said Blackwood. “And that is another thing that I think is very important to understand; the quality of the restaurants. If people have a good time, they open their pocket books and support the university. That is very critical.”