A lot has been cooking in the Prairie Acaidan Cultural Center since the center’s kitchen re-opened for cooking demonstrations in December 2025. The kitchen has an overhead mirro so that the audience can easily see what the cooks are doing as they add ingredients and stir the pot while offering tips and answering questions from the audience.  Foodways have always had a central role in the cultures of Cajuns and Creoles, so, in addition to enjoying meals at local restaurants, visitors to Acadiana need to take advantage of the opportunity to see how the food is prepared by cooks who follow traditions passed down by their ancestors.

All programs and free, and, once the dish is ready, everyone in the audience has a chance to taste a sample

Cooking demonstration are offered 1:30 to 2:30 on Saturdays. After the demonstration, visitors can attend the free Rendezvous in the Pairie music program. For 3:00 to 4:00, Cajun and Creole musicians play acoustic music on a replica front porch state located in the center’s Performance Center. It’s a chance to experience the music in the kind of gathering that used to take place around front porches throughout  Acadiana, where, in addition to playing, the musicians tell stories and interact with the audience. Rendezvous in the Prairie programs ae also offered 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

For more information, go to the Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve Facebook page or the web page on the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center.