(Breaux Bridge, La.) – St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission is launching its first ever Mange St. Martin campaign. Pronounced “mahn-jay,” Mange St. Martin has embraced its roots to use the French term for “Eat St. Martin." The campaign markets and promotes locally-owned restaurants, grocery stores, breweries and food products. It is intended to drive customers to these businesses and raise the level of awareness about what St. Martin Parish has that is unique to the Parish.
The campaign is the vision of Dona Degatur Richard, director for the St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission. Richard and her board developed the concept over the last two years to increase awareness for the 60+ locally-owned restaurants in the Parish as well as its other unique food-related businesses. Richard and a group of local merchants met over several months to create the campaign that launches in June. The campaign will be funded by sponsorships and registrations from locally-owned restaurants.
“St. Martin Parish has so much to offer restaurant fans, foodies and visitors,” said Richard. “Our Parish has been growing the food and cultural economy and has created a way to showcase it. Mange St. Martin is a great way to combine our unique attractions with a food experience. This makes St. Martin Parish a great place to visit for a day or a few days.”
The Tourist Commission works to increase the number of visitors to St. Martin Parish. From houseboats to boutique hotels, St. Martin Parish offers a variety of accommodations to meet every traveler’s needs. Located just two hours west of New Orleans, St. Martin Parish holds the true essence of Cajun and Creole. It is where food is almost a religion, where people play just as hard as they work and where history is alive and well.
“St. Martin Parish has countless food outlets, each of which reflects a special uniqueness. It matters not whether one chooses a formal restaurant, a small diner or café, or an old-fashioned sandwich shop, all of St. Martin Parish’s dining outlets are unique venues that offer quality food prepared by accomplished chefs and cooks,” said Chester Cedars, St. Martin Parish President. “Our restaurants are not just about food. There is a memorable ambiance about every single outlet. Dining in St. Martin Parish is an experience.”
“Locally-owned businesses are an economic driver and they showcase what is so special about our Parish,” said Jennifer Stelly, executive director for St. Martin Parish Economic Development Authority. “Restaurants and food businesses demonstrate the entrepreneurship that contributes to our economy. Small businesses are the lifeblood of any community and these businesses are often rooted in our culture, sometimes with generations of families.”
“It’s time to eat where you live,” said Richard. “Encouraging residents to support local businesses is as important for us as it is to attract tourists. St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission is providing the first funds as the founding sponsor. We anticipate that this will encourage more sponsors to join us.”
Restaurants and sponsors can find more information and sign up at MangeStMartin.com .
About St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish is located in south-central Louisiana; its parish seat is St. Martinville. It has a population of 52,160 (2010 US Census Bureau) and is 739.9 square miles in size. St. Martin Parish is the only parish to have non-contiguous parts. There are three major geographical areas dividing the 739.9 square mile parish, including the Atchafalaya Basin, the prairie, and the Bayou Teche area, on which several major cities, including the parish seat, are located. Over one third of St. Martin Parish's 52,000 inhabitants are Cajun, and the area certainly boasts large African-American, white Creole, and Creole of Color communities.
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