Greater Baton Rouge Business Report: Gambling gourmet

He graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, then worked for years at Chalet Brandt, his father's classical French eatery that was, for the longest time, Baton Rouge's only four-star restaurant.

Today, Eric Brandt (right) is responsible for feeding all the visitors to Argosy Casino.

Argosy operates two snack shops and a bistro, but most of the 250,000 people who eat there over the course of a year will belly up to the 80-item buffet. They gobble up 2.5 million shrimp and 43 tons of catfish a year alone.

Business Report asked Brandt about his new role, that of feeding the gamblers.

Now you're cooking for the masses. What have you had to forego about classical cooking to oversee cooking on this scale?

"Assembling each plate myself. You can put a little piece of yourself on the plate, your little design on the plate. When you do 1,000 people on a buffet, you don't assemble plates. But we'll be able to do that downstairs in the steakhouse [opening in late September]."

What do Argosy diners primarily like to eat?

"I'll give you one guess--seafood. Catfish, fried shrimp and they love the fried chicken here. And let's not forget desserts."

How different is this job for you?

"The scale, and the fact it's a big corporate situation. I'm more in an administrative role now. You can't just get in your car and run to the store and buy some ingredient you need, you have to fill out the proper paperwork.

"It's a different clientele, but I think they're just as happy when they leave here as the clientele I cooked for before."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Do you ever have an opportunity to get behind the stove?

"Sometimes. I'll go make a big batch of soup, like lobster bisque. But compared to what I used to do, which was a gallon or two, now it's 15, maybe 30 gallons."

A couple steps off the boat, they've lost $40 more than they planned to bet, and they stop at your buffet. Fix them up with a meal that will soothe their pain.

"For the gentleman, I'd give him a nice 14-ounce slice of rare prime rib with some horseradish sauce and a little au jus. And I'd give him a nice dollop of mashed potatoes to soak up the juices from the prime rib, and then garnish it with some asparagus tips, a nice broccoli florette and maybe some baby peeled carrots. Then I'd give him a big piece of pecan pie and soft-serve ice cream, topped with some strawberries and blueberries.

"And for her, I'd start her off with a nice salad, then I'd give her some baked salmon we have, put some cauliflower and fresh sugar snaps, and some nice roasted new potatoes and asparagus tips. And I'd top it with a big piece of cheesecake with strawberries and blueberries poured all over it."--T.G.

Bodegas Vinedos Pintia 2002 red table wine

An excellent wine that is fruit-forward with a dry finish, it earned a 94 rating from Robert Parker. A little young-tasting now, it will age well. At Marcello's Wines on Perkins Road, $64.99.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]