Susan Spicer’s ‘Latkes with a Twist’ sells out to delight of crowd at NOCCA

By ALAN SMASON, Special to the CCJN

Chef Susan Spicer has enjoyed a storied culinary career, establishing herself as one of the top chefs in the New Orleans gastronomy. With restaurants like Bayona, known for its fine dining in the French Quarter, and Rosedale with its relaxed casual menu in Mid-City, she has reached the summit of the culinary world winning several James Beard Awards and citations as one of the city’s best.

Chef Susan Spicer, left, with JCRS executive director Mark Rubin at the 2025 “Latkes with a Twist” event. (Photo by Alan Smason)

As the featured chef for this year’s “Latkes with a Twist” Chanukah party and fundraiser put on by  Jewish Children’s Regional Service (JCRS), Spicer elevated the lowly fried holiday staple into several savory varieties. The sellout crowd gathered on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 7, at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts’ (NOCCA) Press Street Station, which is the home of the school’s Culinary Arts program, equipped with a full working kitchen.

The Joe Gelini Trio entertained the hundreds of guests, who enjoyed several signature cocktails and sampled different varieties of latkes along with traditional toppings of applesauce and sour cream, all prepared in the kitchen with the chef and her team.

JCRS executive director Mark Rubin, who came up with the idea for the event more than 11 years ago, has transformed it into an annual holiday party that regularly sells out and has been listed by the Washington Post as one of the top ten Chanukah parties in the country. It had previously been held in various venues like the now defunct Hotel Modern and Dryades Public Market, but has settled into the NOCCA facility for the last several years.

The working kitchen was put through its paces throughout the night with the chef and her team pushing out fresh latkes on a constant basis. While rarely seen at the start of the event, she did emerge later in the evening to enjoy the compliments of the crowd.

Rimon, the kosher restaurant owned by Chef Daniel Esses, also contributed “Lentil-a-Roni” and Atchafalya Restaurant added gumbo to the menu for the evening. Signature cocktails were available at the bar. Sufganyot, Chanukah donuts, were provided by Orit Naghi.

JCRS president Loel Weil Samuel welcomed attendees along with Rubin, who used the opportunity to promote their annual fundraiser to be held on April 11, 2026. Titled “With a Little Help from My Friends,” it will be a spectacular tribute to The Beatles with noted Fab Four author and expert Bruce Spizer already committed to be there. The music heard throughout the night were songs made popular by the groundbreaking quartet that led the British Invasion.

To view photos form the 2025 “Lates with a Twist” event, click on individual thumbnails here: