Mardi Gras Unmasked: Uznea Bauer on NOLA’s Sophisticated Palate
Welcome to Mardi Gras Unmasked, a multi-part series exploring the cultures beneath the culture of New Orleans and Mardi Gras, curating wine celebrates the artistic, musical, and culinary heritage of The Big Easy and – most importantly – the people that keep the culture alive. Presented by Rolling Stone in partnership with KOOL, each story showcases facets of the New Orleans community that, together, weave the tapestry of Mardi Gras.
In this edition, we’re taking a look at the ways in which the New Orleans food and wine scene has not just elevated the city’s cultural footprint, but become an essential part of the Mardi Gras experience. Through the mind of Uznea Bauer, sommelier and creative director for The Tell Me Bar in the Lower Garden District, NOLA’s culinary profile is growing more sophisticated than ever.
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To delve deeper into the sensuality and joy of Mardi Gras through Unzea’s eyes, watch the full video below.
On Mardi Gras, she says, “Mardi Gras is spiritual, it’s exciting, it’s a time to kind of embrace your alter ego, let go of your everyday worries. It’s almost like a religious experience for me.”
Part of Bauer’s process for curating and celebrating wine is to celebrate the person drinking it, as well. She emphasizes the importance of the perfect pairing, saying. “I think of wine as having a soul, and when people come in I try to capture the spirit of what they need, what they want.”
For more stories about the cultural tapestry of Mardi Gras, check out other episodes of Mardi Gras Unmasked with Charles DuVernay and Mannie Fresh or visit KOOL online (age restrictions apply).
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