Sukeban
Day 1: 5-Course Ode to Izakaya Tasting Series
Opened in 2022, this Oak Street izakaya, which appeared on Eater’s 2025 List of “Best Sushi in NOLA,” is the brainchild of Chef Jacqueline Blanchard, a 10th-generation Cajun from Bayou Lafourche in Southeast Louisiana’s Assumption Parish. Chef Blanchard has quite the pedigree, having cooked at such eminent establishments as 3-Michelin-Starred Thomas Keller’s French Laundry, Restaurant August, Bouchon, 2-Michelin-Starred Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and San Francisco’s 3-Michelin-Starred Benu. In 2015, Chef Blanchard returned to New Orleans to open Coutelier, a curated knife shop specializing in hand-forged Japanese cutlery. She travels annually to Japan to source these tools, supporting multi-generational Japanese blacksmiths. Her deep respect for Japanese culture and cuisine is evident in Sukeban, her first solo restaurant, where she thoughtfully sources premium Japanese ingredients as carefully as she does tools for Coutelier. Sukeban, by the way, pays tribute to Japan’s school girl gangs of the 1970s known as the “sukeban,” which translates to “boss girl.” For this event, we are more than happy to put ourselves in the hands of “boss girl” Chef Blanchard, working her magic. Should be exciting!
About the Host:
Jacqueline Blanchard
Chef/Owner
A 10th-generation Cajun from Bayou Lafourche in Southeast Louisiana’s Assumption Parish, Chef Jacqueline Blanchard earned a Culinary Arts degree from Nicholls State University post-Katrina before joining Chef Thomas Keller’s team at 3-Michelin-Starred The French Laundry and Bouchon in Napa Valley. After further honing her craft at Frasca in Boulder, 2-Michelin-Starred Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York, and NOLA's Restaurant August, she became sous chef at Benu in San Francisco, helping them earn 3 Michelin Stars. In 2015, she returned to NOLA to open Coutelier, a curated knife shop specializing in hand-forged Japanese cutlery. Sukeban is her first restaurant.
The Lineup
All courses will be individually plated. This menu will be Peanut & Tree Nut Free. For a list of restrictions/allergies Chef is accommodating, click here.
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Nasu Dengaku Onigiri
miso roasted eggplant, katsuo furikake, ariake sea nori
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Crab & Corn Chawanmushi
louisiana crab, sweet corn, edamame, smoked trout roe
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Gulf Shrimp Zaru Soba
cold buckwheat noodles, tsuyu, daikon, panko fried gulf shrimp
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Maguro Temaki
fatty bluefin tuna handroll, takuan, ariake sea nori
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Black Sesame Ice Cream
miso caramel, wadaman sesame, frosted flakes
Sukeban
8126 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118
More Event Info
Dietary Restrictions Accommodation Policy:
Due to the large-format nature of this event, all accommodation requests must be Added To Your Profile, or Emailed To Us no later than 72 hours before the event. Requests submitted after this date will not be accommodated. Additionally, Sukeban will only be accommodating certain dietary restrictions/food allergies, and they are unable to make menu adjustments based on distaste for specific ingredients/flavor profiles.
See below for guidance on whether or not they will be accommodating your restriction. Or, if your restriction is not represented below, Contact Us prior to booking tickets for guidance.
- Vegetarians: There are Bonito Flakes in Course 1, Roe/caviar, Bonito Flakes and Crab in Course 2, Bonito Flakes and Shrimp in Course 3 and Tuna in Course 4. Substitutions will be provided.
- Pescatarians: This menu is pescatarian-friendly.
- Gluten: There is Gluten in Course 1, Course 2, Course 3, Course 5. Substitutions will be provided.
- Dairy:
• Milk/Cream: Milk/Cream is in Course 5. Substitutions will be provided - Shellfish: There is Crab in Course 2 and Shrimp in Course 3. Substitutions will be provided.
- Fish: There are Bonito Flakes in Course 1, Roe/caviar, Bonito Flakes and Crab in Course 2, Bonito Flakes and Shrimp in Course 3 and Tuna in Course 4. Substitutions will be provided.
- Eggs: There are Eggs in Course 2, Course 5. Substitutions will not be provided.
- Peanuts: This menu is peanut-free.
- Tree Nuts: This menu is tree nut-free.
- Alliums:
• Other alliums: There is Scallion (Cooked) and Chive in Course 2 and Scallion (Raw) in Course 3. Substitutions will be provided. - Mushrooms: There is Chanterelle and Enoki in Course 2. Substitutions will not be provided.
- Soy: There is Soy Sauce (with Gluten) and Miso in Course 1, Soy Sauce (with Gluten) and Edamame in Course 2, Soy Sauce (with Gluten) in Course 3, and Soy in Course 5. Substitutions will be provided.
Handicap Accessibility:
Have Additional Questions?
Check out Event FAQs or Contact Us for assistance.
