Meet the Team!
Meet Richard
Richard Crawford serves as the Director of Operations for Tastebud Tours NOLA. He and his wife Karen made New Orleans their home “by accident.” After retiring from a 38-year career in public education, Rich and Karen planned a short four-day trip to New Orleans to celebrate his retirement. However, the city captivated them so much that they decided not to return home, making New Orleans their permanent residence.
Rich brings a wealth of experience to his role, having worked as both a history teacher and a school principal. He played an instrumental part in creating Tastebud Tours of New Orleans, helping to establish it as one of the top activities in New Orleans. Rich’s extensive knowledge of world history provided a unique perspective on the blend of cultures—including Indigenous, French, African, Spanish, German, Irish, Italian/Sicilian, Caribbean, and American—that have contributed to shaping New Orleans’ rich and diverse food culture.
Rich’s deep appreciation for the diversity of New Orleans comes alive in his tours. His engaging stories and enthusiasm for the city make each tour memorable, offering guests fascinating insights into the unique culture and culinary traditions of New Orleans. Prepare to be captivated by Rich’s storytelling and his genuine love for the city’s vibrant heritage.
Meet Linda
Linda Franzo, retired early as a Speech Therapist and began her food journey path. In 1996 she owned a bookstore Cafe called Cherri Books Emporium, She ran the cafe, held cooking classes and had cookbook chefs like Leah Chase and Andre do book- signing events.
She later left to open Passionate Platter, her own cooking classes and herb garden tours in 2000. She grows culinary themed herb gardens around her 100 year plus cottage home in Slidell, La. Guests can walk along her winding garden path, while learning how to grow and use herbs in a cooking class. She was a docent for the Herman-Grima house until Hurricane Katrina, cooking period menus in the open hearth kitchen and would bake the Mardi Gras King Cake for the dining room display. Her love of food and history had led her to become a licensed New Orleans tour guide since 2014. Linda loves meeting guests from all over the world, talking about the New Orleans food, Creole vs. Cajun lifestyles, an Italian Muffuletta vs. a Po`boy and Gumbo vs. Jambalaya.
She talks about the many places to visit in the French Quarter. Linda loves to recreate dishes like Pepper Jelly over Gator sausage, BBQ Shrimp, Gumbo Z` Herbes, Bananas Foster and King Cake. She enjoys New Orleans history in every bite!
Meet Tish (Patricia Casey)
In 2013, after decades as an Early Childhood educator, she took the tour guide class offered by the Friends of the Cabildo and was licensed by the City of New Orleans.
She found the perfect post retirement gig! Her love for her native city shines through! She loves meeting and talking with people from every corner of the globe! Using her mom’s cast iron skillet (older than she is), she can make a smoky, dark roux, which is the basis for most Creole dishes.
Like the Southern lady she is, she has a collection of deviled egg trays to hold her legendary eggs! A lifelong New Orleans resident, whose family’s presence in this area goes back to the mid 1700s and with 12+ years of Tour guiding, Tish brings tours to life with many personal memories of New Orleans and it’s history and it’s fabulous restaurants
Meet Lyndel
Lyndel Brauninger, a licensed New Orleans tour guide for almost thirty years. Lyndel was born and raised in the Crescent City and was initially trained as a guide through the Friends of the Cabildo.
A retired educator of many years, she received her M.Ed. through the University of New Orleans. She has been a guide for Tastebud Tours since the company began giving food tours in the city. Lyndel is also a tour director for adult and youth groups who visit New Orleans.
Like most natives, she is always talking about food and the latest restaurants to open. Lyndel is passionate about spreading her love of New Orleans with people from all over the world.
Meet Chef Kim
This is Kim, who’s been in New Orleans for 26 years after cooking in restaurants all over the U.S. He came here to get an inside look at New Orleans kitchen secrets and finally retired from Chef work a few years ago to write a book. Wanting to be a better writer led him directly to Tour Guiding – he’s guided Segway, Jazz and even Ghost and Vampire tours before finding a home with Tastebuds talking about our city’s world Famous Foods . Make sure to ask him where the chefs and the waiters have fun in NOLA!
Meet Reagan
Reagan Laiche has led food tours with Tastebud Tours since 2015. Reagan earned a master’s degree in public history, concentrating on New Orleans history in 2014.
As a certified tour guide, Reagan artfully weaves the influences of those who call south Louisiana home into the food culture of New Orleans.
Growing up along the Great River Road, Reagan’s culinary background reflects both Cajun and Sicilian influences with a hearty dash of German potato salad in her gumbo, but her jambalaya is always red!