It’s Baton Rouge: Out to Lunch

Hosted ByStephanie Riegel

OUT TO LUNCH finds Baton Rouge Business Report Editor Stephanie Riegel combining her hard news journalist skills and food background: conducting business over lunch. Baton Rouge has long had a storied history of politics being conducted over meals, now the Capital Region has an equivalent culinary home for business: Mansur’s. Each week Stephanie holds court over lunch at Mansur’s and invites members of the Baton Rouge business community to join her. You can also hear the show on WRKF 89.3FM.

I’ve Got a Good Idea – Out to Lunch – It’s Baton Rouge

When it comes to entrepreneurship, you won’t find many people who know more than John Elstrott.

john elstrott,  

Recently retired as professor of entrepreneurship and director of the Levy Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship at Tulane, John is chairman of the board of directors of Whole Foods, originator of Celestial Seasonings, and runs Elstrott, Maurer and Hunnewell, a consulting practice that advises start up businesses.  John also serves on the boards of several public and private corporations as well as nonprofit community service organizations. In the entrepreneurial world, John Elstrott is a superstar.

Charlie d'Agostino

Charlie D’Agostino knows a thing or two about entrepreneurship. He also knows John Elstrott – they’re old friends dating back to their days at LSU. Maybe it was something in the water back then. Charlie heads LSU’s Innovation Park—a technology-based research park — the LSU Business and Technology Center, a business incubator which is within innovation park, and three other incubators – one for biomedical-based start ups, one for student ventures and one for food companies. Charlie has been recognized for his expertise in entrepreneurship and economic development. 

Gaye Sandoz

Gaye Sandoz is director of the LSU Ag Center Food Incubator, a division of Charlie’s Innovation Park. Gaye is a chef, a cookbook author  and for the past six years has worked with startup food businesses to help them get off the ground. And she’s not talking from a textbook, Gaye has a super successful product of her own on QVC.  

 Gaye Sandoz, Stephanie Riegel, Charlie d'Agostino

Charlie d'Agostino, John Elstrott, Gaye Sandoz

Photos at Mansur’s on the Boulevard by Ken Stewart.