Foodies Of Lafayette Podcast

A legendary steakhouse doesn’t need hype when the grill speaks for itself. We sit down with Phoebe and Clint Moe of A-Bears to unpack how a small, historic spot in the Nunez community keeps winning hearts: fresh-cut ribeyes every day, a ribeye-based grind that turns hamburger steaks and rice dressing into must-orders, and a consistency you can taste from first bite to last. Taking the reins at 26,...

The smell of coffee hits at 6:30 a.m., kettles are already warm, and plates for the shelters go out before the doors open—that’s how a community feeds itself every single day. We sit with Catholic Charities of Acadiana to pull back the curtain on St. Joseph Diner, the shelters next door, and the volunteers who keep the line moving with a smile and a name. From the first cup poured to the last tray...

A meat market where farmers waited for their cuts with po-boys. A fire that leveled the building—and friends who rebuilt it in weeks. A buffet born in a recession that saved a family restaurant and turned it into a Lafayette staple. We sat down with Toby from Lagneaux's Seafood to tell the full story: grit, community, and a kitchen that still tastes every dish before it reaches your plate. We...

A backyard line so long the neighbors thought there was a funeral—that’s when Nina Charles knew it was time to buy a food truck. What started as a craving for balance in a too-sweet world became a movement powered by Mama’s pralines, crawfish boudin king cake, and Creole egg rolls that skip the cabbage and go straight for flavor. We sit down with Nina to trace the journey from Lafayette’s north si...

A pot of corn and onions can hold an entire history when the hands guiding it know the land, the language, and the stakes. We head to Chitimacha country with chef and cultural leader Al LeBlanc to make traditional maque choux the way it’s been done for generations: trim the ears for easy silk removal, shave the kernels in layers to “milk” the corn, fold in a fine dice of sweet onions, then slow-co...

A single question from a ten-year-old—“When do I get to play baseball?”—set off a chain reaction that reshaped a community. We trace that spark to the creation of the Dreams Foundation, the launch of a USDA-inspected meat pie factory employing adults with special needs, and the next leap: transforming the beloved Shade Tree Cafe into Dreams Shade Tree Cafe, a living, working space where inclusion...

Two local legends sit down to prove that community isn’t a slogan—it’s a system you build. Seth from Logic Refrigeration and HVAC shares the raw arc from a 2005 crash and fentanyl patches to recovery, responsibility, and a trade that keeps restaurants—and families—fed. When he spotted a tired residential fridge serving the neighborhood, he rebuilt and donated a double commercial unit, then pledged...

What if generosity came with a playbook—and a production schedule? We sit with John Williams to unpack how a single act of service can turn into a system that feeds thousands, mentors creatives, and restores dignity for elders and families across Acadiana. John shares the roots of Blue Monday, a mission that began by supporting aging musicians and evolved into hands-on mentorship for younger artis...

Some stories start with a blaze. Ours starts on a flight deck where everything can kill you, detours through a firehouse kitchen where dinner stops for a six‑car pileup, and lands in a barn with cameras rolling and a nation watching. Meet Captain Colby, a Lafayette firefighter who found his voice by cooking for his crew, then won PBS’s Great American Recipe while staying true to the bold, honest f...

The best restaurants don’t just feed people—they hold a city together. We sit down with two Lafayette legends to trace a journey that runs from counting change in a small-town Dairy Queen and running honky-tonk nightclubs to stewarding a beloved diner that locals treat like a second home. Along the way, we talk about the hospitality gene, why you don’t fix what isn’t broken, and how rigorous syste...

A plate lunch can carry a city’s memory, and at Laura’s Too that memory starts with roux, water, and the kind of gravy that makes rice feel inevitable. We sit down with Madonna “Miss Laura” Broussard to trace a family story that began in a house at 918 Voris—part kitchen, part juke joint—and grew into a Lafayette landmark without trading soul for polish. From the day platters became plate lunches...

The best meals in Lafayette don’t need a spotlight—they’ve had one for 90 years. We sit with Jesse Guidry, VP of Communications at Lafayette Travel and the engine behind EatLafayette, to unpack what makes this place so magnetic: kitchens that taste like memory, music that stays within reach, and a community that shows up when it counts. Jesse shares how a nonprofit mindset and a love for the offbe...

A missing bag of buns turned into a signature dish and, eventually, a brand. We sit down with Lafayette’s own Shane Vallot to unpack how a walk-on center who almost quit transformed pressure into momentum—first on the field at UL, then in the kitchen with a quesadilla-burger that sold 75 out of his backyard in an hour. From there, the playbook expanded: a no-loan opening with five dollars left in...

What begins as a birthday impulse purchase turns into a four-decade legacy of Louisiana's most beloved po'boys. Glenn Murphree's journey from 23-year-old entrepreneur to restaurant royalty showcases the magic that happens when passion meets opportunity. With just $3,000 of his own savings and borrowed money from his father and the bank, Glenn acquired a tiny grocery store near the u...

Chef Willie Gaspard sits down with Foodies of Lafayette to share the remarkable journey that led him from being one of 62 grandchildren in a food-loving Cajun family to his current role as both Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage at Cypress Bayou Casino. Growing up in Delcambre, Louisiana, Willie's earliest food memories involve watching his grandfather cook 18 turkeys at once...

What happens when a family's love for food spans three generations and over 60 years? Shelly Bond, second-generation owner of the iconic Mel's Diner, takes us on a heartwarming journey through Lafayette's restaurant history that begins long before the diner's famous neon lights first illuminated Johnson Street. The story begins in 1962 when Shelly's father opened a Pit Gri...

The story of Ruby Sharlow isn't just about food—it's about resilience, family, and the transformative power of cooking with love. From her humble beginnings in Church Point, Louisiana, Ruby's path to becoming a Lafayette culinary legend defies conventional expectations at every turn. When most people contemplate retirement, Ruby was just getting started. At 54, after years of revolu...

What happens when an engineering student realizes he's better at managing bars than studying equations? Charles Goodson's remarkable journey from college dropout to restaurant legend reveals the unexpected paths that passion can carve through life. In this captivating conversation, Goodson takes us back to 1967 when he first stepped behind the bar at The Keg, setting in motion a career t...

Take a seat at the family table as third-generation restaurateur Holly Girouard unwraps the rich, flavorful history behind Ton's Restaurant, a Lafayette institution celebrating 60 years of Cajun culinary tradition. The story begins with Holly's grandparents, Rosemary and Alton "Ton" Girouard, who worked downtown—she at a dress shop, he at a hardware store—saving every penny unt...

From harvesting crawfish at dawn to crafting secret seasoning blends, the team behind Cajun Table embodies the soul of Acadiana's food culture. This candid conversation with Sean, Lauren, and Kyle reveals the remarkable journey from backyard crawfish boils on Azalea Street to building one of Lafayette's most beloved restaurants. Sean Suire's day begins at 4:30 AM during crawfish sea...

What happens when a young engineering student from Bangladesh finds himself washing pots in a university cafeteria in Louisiana? For Ema Haq, it became the first step in an extraordinary journey that would transform him into one of Lafayette's most beloved restaurateurs and community leaders. "I didn't even know how to cook rice," Ema laughs, recalling his earliest days in Amer...

What happens when retirement plans transform into a calling? Kent Zerangue didn't set out to build a nonprofit that serves hundreds of meals to hospice patients each week. After 31 years as a corporate executive at Altria, he simply wanted to open a catering business. But when his father entered hospice care months before retirement, everything changed. A neighbor's homemade gumbo sparke...

When Sullivan Zant reluctantly stepped into the kitchen at Coyote Blues after failing to land a server position, he never imagined he'd discover his life's calling. "I'll never forget the feeling of fulfillment," he shares, describing the unexpected satisfaction that academic success had never provided him. That revelation launched a remarkable journey from making quesadil...

What do spatchcocked turkeys, UFO encounters, and gas station sweet potato soufflé have in common? They're all part of Al Hebert's extraordinary life story. Known across America as the Gas Station Gourmet, Al has spent 14 years uncovering culinary treasures hiding behind fuel pumps, documenting his discoveries for the National Association of Convenience Stores magazine. Before becoming a...

Tim Metcalf's remarkable journey from the son of an Idaho potato farmer to Lafayette restaurant mogul reads like a Hollywood script, complete with a recent crocodile hunting accident in Africa that left him with a torn quad tendon. Yet this injury hasn't slowed the unstoppable force behind Deano's Pizza, Prejean's, Marcello's, and other beloved local establishments. The Me...