The Competition

Now that Mardi Gras is over, our Red Beans Parade friends have organized their next bean-loving event – an awesome Bean Madness tournament. In this take-off on the annual college basketball March Madness event, 32 restaurants and individual chefs will compete to see who makes the best red beans & rice in New Orleans. Ian McNulty of the New Orleans Advocate has described this event as a “uniquely interactive way to celebrate the humble but vital dish around town, drawing directly on the tastes and preferences of New Orleans people.” And we couldn’t agree more.

For a Good Cause

Running March 1-April 6, 2020, this single-elimination tournament will raise money for multiple nonprofits including Anna’s Place NOLA, which offers after-school and summer camp programs as well as health outreach and a food pantry; Make Music NOLA, a free music-for-social-change program; Electric Girls, which helps girls to develop and strengthen skills in science, technology, engineering and math; Market Umbrella, which assists farmers’ markets and promotes fresh food access in New Orleans; the Southern Rep Theater, which showcases original theatrical voices and performances reflecting Southern heritage; and SoulNOLA, which plants much-needed trees across urban New Orleans. Here at Camellia, we’re thrilled to sponsor the competition.

Donate, Make Predictions & Win!

How can you get in on the action? Donate and make your predictions here. Your donation will go to the non-profits. You also have the ability to sign up to play and create a bracket online. View your bracket anytime, and follow along in the leaderboard section for updates!

The winner of the bracket will receive lots of silly prizes from the Krewe of Red Beans and Camellia Beans.

Taste-Test Schedule

The tournament features pop-up blind-taste tests around New Orleans that’ll take place at corner bars, bookstores, groceries and markets. Here’s the full lineup of tastings, so you can see who’s competing where and when. The experts on the matter – the people of New Orleans – will judge the red beans and ultimately crown a champion.

The “Final Fork”, with the final four competitors, will be held April 4 from 5-8 p.m. at Zony Mash Beer Project and the championship party and silent auction will take place April 6 from 6-9 p.m. at Capulet Bywater.

A take-off on the annual college basketball March Madness event, the 2018 Red Bean Madness Tournament event features 57 restaurants and individual chefs competing to see who makes the best red beans & rice in New Orleans!

The 2017 Red Bean Madness Champion was Cornet, a Cajun and Creole restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter.

A series of of head-to-head blind taste tests will take place at pop-ups all over the city – from corner bars and bookstores to groceries and markets. The first match ups, which involve all 57 of the original competitors, begin Thursday, March 8, 2018 and will go throughout the month. If you’re in NOLA, please come join us for some red beans & rice, and cast your vote during the taste tests. Check out pop-up dates, times and places for tasting and voting!

All tastings are free, but donations are always appreciated. Donations benefit the nonprofits Anna’s Place, which offers after-school and summer camp programs as well as health outreach and a food pantry, and Make Music Nola, a free music-for-social-change program.

Check out all the events, and we’ll see you there!