Official/Peche
Kicking off today, February 19, more than 40 New Orleans restaurants will offer up their version of a Friday night fish fry for the Lenten season, as part of a citywide effort to drive restaurant business and benefit a fund for local hospitality workers. The campaign, Fish Fry Fridays, is a partnership between the between Louisiana Hospitality Foundation and United Way of Southeast Louisiana, and includes top New Orleans restaurants like Toups’ Meatery, Peche, and La Petite Grocery as participants.
The Hospitality Cares initiative launched last year, as Lent fell shortly after the pandemic shut down New Orleans’s hospitality sector. According to a press release, the campaign raised $12,000 from restaurant sales and Tabasco’s sponsorship. Far more restaurants are in on the effort this time, which sees $1 per fish fry entree sold go to Hospitality Cares. The crisis grant fund provides up to $2,500 to eligible hospitality employees to cover basic financial needs, and offers free resources like civil legal aid and counseling.