It's New Orleans: Out To Lunch

Pete Tompkins and Joel Dondis, the Kings of chocolate city empires [Southern Candymakers][link1] and [Sucre][link2] hold court at [Commander's Palace][link3], on the joys and struggles of the candy biz. On the other side of street, the opposite of candy - the new alternative healthy living store, [Well][link4]. [link1]: http://www.southerncandymakers.com/ [link2]: http://www.shopsucre.com/ [link3]: http://www.commanderspalace.com/ [link4]: http://wellcompany.com/

La State tax credits aren't just for Hollywood producers any more. Peter Loop introduces [eTax Credit Exchange][link1] where YOU can buy a credit and lower your taxes. [Orleans Parish Assessor][link2] Eroll Williams will also lower your taxes, if you can convince him. Want everyone in NOLA to send you money? Click here: [FundDat][link3]. [link1]:http://etaxcreditexchange.com/ [link2]: http://nolaassessor.com/ [link3]: http://www.neworleanscrowdfunding.com/

Iftikhar Ahmad, Director of Aviation at [Louis Armstrong International Airport][link1] is ready to take off with an $860m overhaul of the airport. At the Lakefront airport Keith Sisson from new [Southern Airways Express][link2] will fly you to the beach. Peter Pays it Forward with [Clandestine New Orleans][link3]. [link1]: http://www.flymsy.com/ [link2]: http://www.iflysouthern.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubDsp.dspWelcome [link3]: http://clandestinenola.com/

Greg Ensslen is founder of the Freret Street Market and one of the prime movers in bringing [Freret Street][link1] from blight to boom. President of the [Greater Mid City Business Association][link2] Josef Wright presides over the sprawling new hospital district and resurgence of Carrolton Avenue. Plus we hit the swamps with [Lost Lands][link3]. [link1]: http://thenewfreret.com/ [link2]: http://mcno.org/econ-dev/mcba/ [link3]: http://lostlandstours.org/

"....then one night in misty Baton Rouge the Tax Credit Fairy waved her magic wand and created Broadway South." Dramatic tales about the resurgence of theater in New Orleans with Cassie Steck Worley and Bruce Hoefer form [Le Petit Theater][link1]. Plus building a better waiter with [Sidework][link2]. [link1]: http://www.lepetittheatre.com/ [link2]: http://gosidework.com/

Pink-dumpster diva, Simone Bruni aka [Demo Diva][link1], meets [Green Coast Enterprises][link2]' Will Bradshaw. While the Diva's knocking it down to the dirt Will's rebuilding, notably commercial Broadmoor. Also on the lunch menu, cyber security company [504ensics][link3]. [link1]: http://demodiva.com/ [link2]: http://www.greencoastenterprises.com/ [link3]: http://www.504ensics.com/

Drew Bevolo's family founded and has owned [Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights][link1] since 1945. Burt Benrud's family business, [Cafe du Monde][link2], started up in the 1860's. These two standard bearers of New Orleans' enduring icons talk about the present, the future, and entrepreneur [NOLA Pie Guy][link3]. [link1]: http://www.bevolo.com/ [link2]: http://www.cafedumonde.com/ [link3]: http://www.nolapieguy.com/

Iftikhar Ahmad, Director of Aviation at [Louis Armstrong International Airport][link1] is ready to take off with an $860m overhaul of the airport. At the Lakefront airport Keith Sisson from new [Southern Airways Express][link2] will fly you to the beach. Peter Pays it Forward with [Clandestine New Orleans][link3]. [link1]: http://www.flymsy.com/ [link2]: http://www.iflysouthern.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubDsp.dspWelcome [link3]: http://clandestinenola.com/

NOLA BIZ SUPERSTARS! Chairman of [Whole Foods Market][link1], John Elstrott, tells the fascinating tale of the birth of the health food giant and equally fascinating tale of what's ahead. CEO of [GNO Inc][link2] Michael Hecht is one of the architects of New Orleans' sensational business resurgence. [link1]: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ [link2]: http://gnoinc.org/

Arts administrator Mia Volkemmer and fine artist mask maker John Flemming join Peter Ricchiuti for a lunch filled with tales of the art world that range from Uptown to Afghanistan and Bridget Bardot.

Jessica Blanchard turned her back on international finance and came home to New Orleans to found Balance Yoga and Wellness Studio. Mackie Shilstone never left home and from New Orleans has turned himself into an international sports training phenomenon.

Kenneth Purcell's [iSeatz][link1] is the engine that drives online booking for American Express Travel, Delta, Orbitz and more, from right here in New Orleans. Gary Solomon's [The Solomon Group][link2] lights up the Superdome, and that's just for starters. [link1]: http://iseatz.com/ [link2]: http://www.solomongroup.com/

Andre Champagne's massive fleet of [Hollywood Trucks][link1] keeps Hollywood South industry rolling. A.J.Niland's New Orleans-based [HUKA Entertainment][link2] stages some of the nation's biggest and brightest music festivals. [link1]: http://www.hollywoodtrucksllc.com/ [link2]: http://www.hukaentertainment.com/

We can't keep saying forever that we're in a boom in New Orleans. Dana Eness from [The Urban Conservancy][link1] and Blair duQuesnay from [Ignite Investments and Planning][link2] on the dawn of the day after the boom. Will we have longterm change or a nostalgic golden era to look back on? [link1]: http://www.urbanconservancy.org/ [link2]: http://ignitemyplan.com/

Kevin Morgan Rothschild, co-founder of [VertiFarms][link1], and Megan Nuismer, founder of [The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project][link2], are changing the way we grow vegetables in a swampy urban food desert and harvest fruit in an abundant garden of Eden. [link1]: http://growvertifarms.com/tags/vertifarms [link2]: http://www.nolafruit.org/

Give lunch an adrenaline surge. Revisit with Wes Ratcliff from [NOLA Motorsports Park][link1] and Max Materne from [The Transportation Revolution New Orleans][link2] [link1]: http://www.nolamotor.com/ [link2]: http://ttrno.com/

Andrea Chen's socially conscious business incubator [Propeller: a Force For Social Innovation][link1] takes an entrepreneur with a good idea and turns it into good for the community. Reid Stone's [Hero Farm][link2] takes those socially conscious businesses out into the world. [link1]: http://gopropeller.org/ [link2]: http://hero-farm.com/

[NOLA BOUND][link1] successfully recruited young entrepreneurs to New Orleans. Meet two of them: founder of App building company [Apptitude][link2] Chris Boyd and founder of fashion illustration studio [MarketteNOLA][link3] Marianne Rodriguez. [link1]: http://www.benolabound.com/ [link2]: http://apptitudenola.com/ [link3]: http://markettenola.com/

[Mignon Faget][link1] discusses her controversial Stop The Violence gun pin, Brent McCrossen talks about the digital music revolution and his part in it with [audiosocket][link2]. [link1]: http://www.mignonfaget.com/ [link2]: https://www.audiosocket.com/

Jazz Fest - our annual overdose of music and food - is synonymous with New Orleans. Smoothie King - healthy juice food alternative - is the antithesis of the city. Both businesses were NOLA born in the 70's and are now international brands. Meet [Smoothie King][link1]'s Tom O'Keefe and the [Jazz and Heritage Foundation][link2]'s Scott Aiges. [link1]: http://www.smoothieking.com/ [link2]: http://www.jazzandheritage.org/