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Steak
THE FOOD ISSUE
There’s something about stirring a giant pot on an even bigger burner, outdoors in South Louisiana. Especially if you are starting before the sun comes up, surrounded by groups of others doing the same!
This year, we have steered (or stirred!) our Food Issue in a different direction. A cook-off on a Saturday morning isn’t unusual around here, it’s expected. Whether it’s tucked into the corner of a spring fair, front and center at a downtown festival, or set up in a parking lot for a local fundraiser, outdoor cooking is woven into the rhythm of our lives. Around here, we don’t just ask what’s on the menu. We ask who’s cooking!
There is something special about food that has been cooked slowly, stirred steadily, and labored over for hours. Extra talking. Extra laughter. Extra friendship. Extra love. It all goes into the pot. As one cooking team shares in this issue, stirring isn’t just busy work, it’s like a good conversation. Equal parts talking and listening. Around here, we let the pot speak.
If you’ve read our fall festival issue, you already know that my favorite part is always the food. The music is fun. The booths are great. But the food? That’s where the heart is. It’s where families gather, where old friends reconnect, and where strangers become fast friends standing in the Weenie Spaghetti line, waiting for a taste of something cooked just right.
What makes our cook-offs different isn’t just the competition (though there are some serious bragging rights on the line!), it’s the fellowship. It’s a team that started as two friends who loved to cook and grew into a core group of seven. It’s professors, tire guys, and mailmen deciding on a Friday afternoon to “give it a whirl” and walking away with something much bigger than a trophy. And almost always, there’s a greater purpose simmering beneath the surface. Get to know four popular local cooking teams, starting on page 22.
Spring festivals mark a season of renewal. The days get longer. The weather softens. And once again, tents go up, pots come out, and communities gather. In this issue, we’ve included a listing of spring festivals across our area. Circle your faves and save the date in our calendar on pages 20-21.
Cook-offs in South Louisiana are rarely just about food. They are for a Reason, for a cause cause big enough to bring people together to raise money, to support families, to stand beside neighbors in good times and in hard ones.
One of our area’s most meaningful examples is Roux for a Reason, now celebrating its 10th year. What began as a small downtown cook-off has grown into one of our region’s premier festivals, with proceeds benefiting Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. It is South Louisiana at its finest: good food, good people, and a good cause all in one place. Learn more about Roux for a Reason, starting on page 14.
As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of the culinary world, it is important to remember the importance of supporting local businesses and preserving the unique flavors that make our region so special. Now more than ever, our restaurants and food artisans need our support to thrive and continue delighting us with their culinary creations. Be sure to check out our Restaurant Section on page 18 for a few delicious options for your next night on the town.
Spring will come and go. The tents will come down. The trophies will find their shelves. But what lingers are the conversations we had over steaming bowls, the laughter shared under borrowed tents, and the quiet pride of knowing we showed up for something bigger than ourselves.
If you’re looking for me this season, I’ll be standing in line, chatting with the teams, asking who made the roux, probably going back for seconds. Because the heart of our community isn’t just found in the pot…It’s found in the people gathered around it. POV
What is the first thing you learned how to cook, who taught you, and do you still cook it?
PAIGE
Peanut butter chocolate pie from my mawmaw Connie because it’s my dads favorite. I don’t make it too often anymore but I have a true love for baking which steams from learning in her kitchen!
DEBBIE
The first real food I learned to cook, other than scrambled eggs, was my mom’s spaghetti, which was just a basic tomato sauce. Then I discovered Italian Bolognese, which is a whole different level of goodness. That’s what I still use today for spaghetti.
CHANTELLE
LABAN
Not very exciting but an essential to many of our Cajun dishes, rice. My mother taught this to me at a young age. No measuring cups. Just add the amount of rice needed, rinse three times, then add just enough water to touch the first knuckle on your forefinger. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Works every time. And yes, I still use this method today.
I don't remember the first thing I learned how to cook. I took home economics in high school and that taught me invaluable cooking and preparation skills. I was cooking before then. But the first thing that I tried to cook and ultimately wanted to perfect was a homemade spaghetti sauce. My mother taught me how to cook down tomato sauce and shared her recipe with me. I have added different seasonings and my own twists on it but I still use her method to this day and now I'm passing the recipe down.
JORDAN
The first thing I remember learning how to cook was my Mawmaw’s potato stew, when I was 9 or 10. It was something she made sure to cook us whenever we stayed with her. I have not made it in quite sometime. It’s hard to replicate the love she would put into every dish.
COASTAL COMFORT
BY BONNIE RUSHING | PHOTOS BY SHANNON BELLA
Coastal comfort meets effortless style in this Grand Isle retreat owned by Tim and Hattie Dietz of Thibodaux. Designed as a gathering place for family and friends, the camp blends relaxed livability with thoughtful, elevated details that make every visit feel special.
After recently completing an addition to the home, the couple once again turned to designer Shannon Bella, who had previously decorated the space. Shannon designed the new spaces while also refreshing the original interiors, ensuring a seamless transition between old and new. She embraced the
camp’s waterfront spirit, layering soft neutrals, warm woods, and tranquil bluegreen accents that echo the landscape just beyond the doors.
Natural textures set the tone throughout the space. Light wood ceilings draw the eye upward, giving the main living areas an airy openness, while comfortable seating invites guests to sink in after a long day outdoors. The kitchen balances beauty and function, with clean lines, generous prep areas, and stylish lighting that adds a touch of polish without sacrificing approachability.
In the living room, plush upholstery, woven elements, and curated coastal artwork create an atmosphere that feels both refined and relaxed. Bedrooms and baths continue the theme, offering simple sophistication and a sense of retreat.
Shannon’s goal was to ensure the camp felt welcoming — a place where sandy feet are part of the story and memories are made around the table, on the water, and in the quiet moments in between. POV
The Best Choice
IN SHORT TERM
Whether recovering from a stroke, fall, or other medical condition, our customized rehab program helps you recover quickly so you can get back home. If you’re getting ready for long-term living, we make the transition from home to our community as rewarding as possible. A variety of spacious resident suites offer the ultimate in privacy and comfort.
We all know a good Louisiana roux is a magical thing– but at Houma’s Roux for a Reason, these recipes are helping to save lives for the 10th year and counting.
Started a decade ago by Ben Floyd and Ben Levy, Roux for a Reason is a beloved community cooking competition dedicated to the fight against cancer. All proceeds go towards funding the comprehensive nutrition program at Terrebonne General | Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, which provides a full-time Registered Dietitian on staff to give everyone free access to education, nutrition, and support before and during their cancer treatment. While malnutrition is a serious issue often overlooked by traditional health insurance plans, this effort ensures that oncology patients in the bayou region can face treatment with their bodies in the best condition possible.
Marking the 10th anniversary of this mission in 2026, Floyd and Levy originally launched Roux for a Reason in memory of their late fathers, Dr. John C. Floyd and Mr. Bernard Levy, who both died of colon cancer. "We started small, but we had a vision to launch a family-friendly event in Houma dedicated to raising these important funds and awareness for cancer patients," explained Floyd.
In spring of 2016, Roux for a Reason hosted their first event, a small cook-off in downtown Houma with about 30 local teams participating.
"The support we have received from the community has been excellent from the beginning. Our first event did really well, and things have just continued to grow from there," said Floyd. "We just keep adding more and getting bigger each year."
Steadily gaining momentum over the last 10 years, the cook-off eventually outgrew the downtown area and moved to Southdown Plantation & Museum, where it is still held today. Registration boomed, with over 70 teams competing and hundreds more coming out to compete and hundreds more coming to enjoy live music, eat delicious food, and support a worthy cause. It is now known as a staple in the community, with almost all of the 70 teams and countless sponsors returning year after year to support this event.
"Most teams come back each year to cook up their gumbo and defend their crowns. It’s pretty neat– you could walk into lots of local businesses around here and see Roux for a Reason trophies displayed in the lobby. They're proud of it," chuckled Floyd. "They bring their families and the numbers really add up to make the event big and festive. That continued good support from the community is pretty special."
Although the delicious sausage, chicken, and seafood gumbo might be the highlight of the actual cook-off, most importantly, well over $500,000 in proceeds from Roux
for a Reason have been donated to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center since 2016.
"Looking back on the past 10 years, it has been so rewarding to bring the community together to support a cause that touches so many people personally," said Floyd. "Not only that, but helping the cancer patients in our area specifically has always been a goal close to our hearts. All the proceeds stay in Terrebonne Parish and the bayou region, making sure people have access to all the best help, support, and care they need to fight cancer."
The 10th annual Roux for a Reason promises to be an unforgettable event,
coming to Southdown Plantation & Museum in Houma on March 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM. Open to the public, this event is family-friendly, boasting a kids zone, live music, and of course, all the gumbo you can eat as local teams vie for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and People’s Choice Awards. Admission is $15, with all proceeds going to support the nutritional program at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.
Be sure to come with an empty stomach–because with community support and some Louisiana spice, a simple pot of gumbo can change a life. POV
WHERE WE GATHER
There’s something special about a dining table. It’s where we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. Where we reconnect after long weeks. Where we meet for lunch “just to catch up” and end up staying two hours. In South Louisiana, restaurants aren’t just places to eat, they are where life happens.
Behind these local restaurants are the small business owners who pour their savings, their time, and their hearts into every plate that leaves the kitchen. They are the familiar faces who remember your order and ask about your family. When we choose to dine locally, we’re doing more than buying a meal. We’re investing in our
community. We’re supporting jobs, families, and dreams. We’re helping keep the lights on in the places where we gather.
This special advertising section highlights restaurants in Houma and Thibodaux that are part of our celebrations, our comfort on hard days, and our traditions in every season.
So the next time you’re deciding where to eat, choose local. Pull up a chair. Try something new. Go back to an old favorite.
Because when we support the places where we gather, we help ensure they’re here for the next birthday, the next reunion, the next ordinary Tuesday that turns into something special. And that’s worth savoring! POV
March Festivals
Roux for a Reason
MARCH 7, 10 A.M. | SOUTHDOWN PLANTATION, HOUMA
Get ready! The Roux for a Reason Gumbo Cookoff returns to Southdown Plantation for the 10th annual ultimate culinary throwdown you’ve been waiting for! The talented teams will be putting their creativity to the test, crafting mouthwatering dishes to impress the judges. In addition to gumbo, guests will enjoy live music, a family friendly atmosphere, and kids activities. Admission is $15. For more information, visit rouxforareason.org.
St. Patrick’s Day on the Bayou MARCH 14, 11 A.M. - 3 P.M. | DOWNTOWN THIBODAUX, ALONG BAYOU LAFOURCHE
Join Friends of Bayou Lafourche and the Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District as they turn Downtown Thibodaux green for a fun-filled celebration of St. Patrick’s Day on the Bayou! Enjoy live music, delicious food and drinks, and the famous Cardboard Boat Race that brings out the creativity and competitive spirit in everyone. Whether you’re racing a handmade boat, cheering on your favorite team, or simply soaking up the festive atmosphere, there’s something for everyone to love.
SOUPer Bowl
MARCH 14, 11 A.M. - 2 P.M. | CANNATA’S FAMILY MARKET, HOUMA
The SOUPer Bowl is a family-friendly community event featuring soup, gumbo, chili, desserts, live music, kids activities, raffles, and local vendors. Proceeds benefit United Way for South Louisiana and its 18 partner agencies serving Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes. General admission is $5.
Brought to you by the Hache Grant Association, the boucherie is right around the corner, and it’s going to be bigger than ever! More pork, more music, more cajun shenanigans. This year’s music line-up includes: Nonc Nu & da Wild Matous; Travis Matte; Little John and the Dirty Clarks; Dirty Water Blues; and Tyron Benoit Band. Visit hachegrant.com more information.
Irish Italian Parade
MARCH 22, 1 P.M. | HOUMA
The parade will feature finely decorated floats with participants tossing carrots, potatoes, cabbage, pickles, bell peppers, and more– everything needed for a classic Irish stew! All Hail King Jordan Hunsucker and Queen Amber Hunsucker! The parade will start on Westside Boulevard between Cannata’s and Walmart. From there, the parade will follow the same route as Mardi Gras.
April Festivals
Ron and Jackie Bartels’ Kids Conservation Fest
APRIL 4, 10 A.M. - 1 P.M. | BAYOU COUNTRY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM, THIBODAUX
Join the 10th annual festival and enjoy lots of outdoor and conservation games, activities, fun and access to the museum!
Bayou Blue Fireman’s Fair
APRIL 10-12 | NEXT TO THE BAYOU BLUE FIRE STATION
The Bayou Blue Firemen’s Fair is back and better than ever in 2026! Join in for a weekend of fun, food, music, and community support. Bring the whole family and help support your local volunteer fire department! For more information email bbvfdfair@gmail.com and follow along on social media.
Relay For Life of Terrebonne Parish
APRIL 11, 3-10 P.M. | BARRY P. BONVILLIAN CIVIC CENTER, HOUMA
Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Join us for our 2026 Relay For Life of Terrebonne Parish presented by Stratify Group! There will be lots of food, children’s activities, a Relay For Life Team Cook-off, live auction, live entertainment throughout the event! For more info on how to join and to donate, visit RelayForLife.org/TerrebonneLA
La Fete Du Monde
APRIL 17-19 | LAFOURCHE PAVILION, RACELAND
This three day festival is known as the swamp pop extravaganza of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou. Located at the Lafourche Pavilion and green space behind Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Visitor Center in Raceland, it features live music, dancing, delicious Cajun food, games and carnival rides for all ages! This year ’s music headline on Saturday is Kings of Neon! Performers on the music line-up include: Cassie & Johnny; Epic; Tet Dur; Gary T & Philip; Masquerade; Pah 2 Lah; and Freddie & Cully.
Get ready to eat your butt off! Join your besties in the Courthouse Square for a sizzling day of family fun and mouthwatering barbecue at the 2nd annual Pork Butt Cook-Off! hosted by The Rotary Club Of Downtown Houma. Witness your friends and neighbors battle it out for the title of “Pork Butt Champion”, sample delectable dishes from our cooking teams, indulge in sweet treats and refreshing beverages. Kids’ zone with bounce houses, face painting, and exciting games will be waiting for you! Sign-up and sponsorship forms can be found on Facebook.
Pirate & Boots Festival
APRIL 25, 11 A.M. - 6 P.M. | HOUMA
DOWNTOWN MARINA
Set your course for a day filled with excitement, fun, and community spirit! The festival will offer vendor booths, music, activities for kids, Jean Lafitte look-alike contest and a treasure hunt and plenty of food, while celebrating our bayou heritage and raising money to further the mission of Keep Terrebonne Beautiful.
Thibodaux Fireman’s Fair
APRIL 30 - MAY 3 | THIBODAUX FAIRGROUNDS
The Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department invites you and your family to join tens of thousands of families and friends at the annual Thibodaux Firemen’s Fair, southeast Louisiana’s largest and hottest fundraising fair. Come enjoy delicious food, cold drinks, hoppin’ live music, plenty of rides and games, and support our volunteer firefighters!
May the 4th Be With You Festival
MAY 2, 9 A.M. - 9 P.M. | DOWNTOWN HOUMA
The May the 4th Festival blends Star Wars fandom with Cajun flair to raise funds for our local school music programs. Now in its sixth year, the event has grown from a small parking-lot gathering into a dynamic celebration of music, community, and creative fun—all while empowering local students to thrive in their musical journeys. Louisiana’s largest Star Wars festival delivers food, live music, costumes and so much more! New this year is the Kessel Run 5K and Ewok Trot, the Roux Wars cook-off, a Wookiee Calling Contest, and a special VIP Experience at Rouxbacca’s Cantina.
TFAE’s Cajun Food Fest and 5k Run for Excellence
MAY 9, 4 - 10 P.M. | DOWNTOWN HOUMA
The Battle of the High School Bands will kick off the event at 4 p.m., followed by the opening of the Cajun Food Fest and start of the race at 6 p.m. Then dance the night away with Bag of Donuts and feast on over 35 food booths. A kids corner will offer a petting zoo, face painting, and so much more. New this year is the Best of the Fest cook-off, where cooking teams that have placed at other local competitions are invited back to compete once again to see who the Best of the Fest truly is! Proceeds support the hard-working educators in Terrebonne Parish and literacy programs including Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
Freedom Fest Crawfish Boil
MAY 17, 11 A.M. - 5 P.M. | DOWNTOWN HOUMA
The South Louisiana Veteran Outreach Center invites you to a family friendly day including All-You-Can-Eat crawfish, Kid’s Zone, snack vendors and games! Enjoy live music by Beep Beep & the Jeeps. Admission is $20; kids 12 and under are $10. Children 2 and under are free. All proceeds go directly to helping Veterans in our community.
May Festivals
49
th Annual Cajun
Heritage Festival
JUNE 6-7 | LAROSE CIVIC CENTER
A hunter’s dream, the Cajun Heritage Festival showcases a decoy show and live auction, plus carving demos, duck calling contests, Cajun food, vendors and raffles. The festival celebrates the Cajun heritage of Lafourche Parish and is free and open to the public. Stop by the Larose Civic Center and enjoy the display of hundreds of uniquely designed duck decoys!
Gheens Bon Mange Festival
JUNE 5-7 | VACHERIE GHEENS COMMUNITY CENTER
Bon Mange’ translated means "good eats," so how could you miss out on this! Join the fun of the 52nd annual Gheens Bon Mange' Festival featuring fresh cooked foods like griades, gumbo, jambalaya, cracklins, and more.
United Houma Nation Celebrating Abilities/ Disabilities Powwow
JUNE 27-28 | BARRY P. BONVILLAIN CIVIC CENTER, HOUMA
The United Houma Nation is excited to invite the community to the 14th Annual Celebrating Abilities/Disabilities Awareness Powwow, a unique event that blends cultural tradition with a special focus on honoring individuals with disabilities. There will be traditional Native American singing and dancing, Native American dress, arts and crafts vendors, local Native American food, and more. The powwow is free and open to the public– you do not need to be affiliated with the United Houma Nation to attend. POV
Hey Good Lookin;
WHATCHA GOT COOKIN’?
BY MARY DITCH | PHOTOS SUBMITTED
TEAM SYNERGY
Team Synergy loves to be involved in our community in any way we can. We enjoy volunteering for local events, whether that’s working the admission gates, providing food
SUPERIOR TIRE - “LARDY B”
It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: a professor, a tire guy, and a mailman walk into a bar. That’s actually how this whole thing started.
The three of us were sitting at Mahony’s on a Friday afternoon when we overheard some folks talking about the upcoming inaugural Weenie Spaghetti Cookoff downtown. We looked at each other and thought, we could do that. It was for a good cause, it was local, and it sounded like a good time, so we decided to give it a whirl. We’ve been at it for about three years now, and somewhere along the way, it became more than just showing up with a pot. Our team members are Andrew Cox, Morgan
and drinks with a cooking team, or helping in some other way.
Our team especially loves to cook and participate in local festivals with a cooking team. It’s a great way for us to enjoy our coworkers' company and interact with our community. It’s such a wonderful south Louisiana tradition to share food with one another as an act of love and appreciation, so it’s a joy for us to share that with others. Team Synergy is also very competitive, so we are always in it to win it. We have a lot of great chefs and they all bring their own flair to their dish and presentation. While we can't share all our secrets, having a well decorated booth and a signature drink has
Landry, Amber Landry, and Cory Champagne. (Alternates: Brock Means and Andrew Cuneo)
I’ll never forget that first competition. It was the very first Weenie Spaghetti Cookoff, and no one really knew what to expect — not us, not the organizers, not even the crowd. By the time the gates opened that morning, the line to get in wrapped around the courthouse square. It turned into a collective effort by every team just to make sure people had food when they walked in. It was a madhouse of a morning that rolled straight into a marathon of an afternoon. Every team ran out of food. By the end of it all, announcing a winner almost felt like an afterthought. But when they called our team’s name, that moment stuck with all of us. It was an honor, not just to win, but to be part of something that successful, alongside every other team that showed up and made it happen.
We originally settled on the name “Lardy B,” a little play on words using lard and the phrase Lordy Be — both staples in kitchens across South Louisiana. Since then, after winning a few cook-offs and securing official sponsorship, we now compete as Superior Tire. But Lardy B will always hold a special place in my heart.
helped us to secure People’s Choice quite a few times.
What makes our local cookoffs so wonderful is the comradery among the teams - if you forgot a utensil or a seasoning or your tent starts to take off in the wind - everyone jumps in to help. It’s fun to bring your dish to the other teams for them to try and vice versa. Add beautiful weather, and it makes for a fabulous day serving our community.
We could never name our favorite local cookoff, but ones that we love participating in include Houma Rotary Cast Iron Cookoff, United Way SOUPer Bowl, Big Boy Cookoff, and more!
When it comes to cook-offs, I do love the Cast Iron Cook-Off. You don’t necessarily need to know what someone is cooking. You need to know who is cooking and what they’re using. I love the variety that the Cast Iron Cook-Off brings. And if I’m being honest, it’s also the trophy that’s eluded us so far. Twice now it’s been “the one that got away.”
People always ask what the hardest part is to perfect in a cook-off setting. I’m glad they ask, because it’s the part I usually handle: stirring the pot. Most teams take stirring for granted. They see it as busy work, something to do in the meantime. That’s where they go wrong. Stirring the pot is like having a good conversation with equal parts talking and listening. Sometimes I just stir to listen. I let the team know what the pot is saying. It tells you what it needs if you’re paying attention.
As for our recipes, they’re much simpler than most people realize. But the seasoning blends? Even I don’t know those. Our head chef handles that. We’re all friends until it comes to the seasoning. When that topic comes up, he gets a certain look in his eyes, and we know better than to push it. Presentation, though? That’s
We’ve all been there — a Saturday morning cook-off in South Louisiana. Maybe it’s part of a fair or festival, maybe it’s a fundraiser for a good cause, but either way, it’s familiar territory. Around here, cook-offs aren’t just events. They’re part of our lifestyle. And it’s never just about the food. It’s pride. It’s tradition. It’s bragging rights. And yes, it probably includes a secret seasoning blend guarded like Fort Knox.
Cooking teams form from friendships, family ties, and coworkers who decide one day to give it a shot and suddenly the team takes on a life of its own. Alarms go off at 4 a.m., no matter the weather. Rain, cold, or blazing sun, you’ll find them under tents, chopping vegetables, stirring roux, sipping something warm (or strong), and getting ready for the crowds to roll in.
So what does it really take to be the best? We asked a few local cooking teams to tell us.
everything. At many of these competitions, you’ve got a lot of the same dish being served. If yours looks better or even just looks different — that can make an impact.
Every cook-off around here is competitive, mostly in a bragging-rights-among-friends sort of way. But if I had to lean toward one we like to participate in, I’d say Roux for a Reason. It’s
been around a while and it’s a big one. But, my favorite festival to compete in? Big Boy’s Main Street Cook-Off has something special about it. Adding that evening and nighttime atmosphere to the mix just makes magic.
At the end of the day, though, it’s not really about the trophy. Fellowship is a more perfect word than I could find. It’s the community coming together and all having a great time for a good cause. That’s what makes South Louisiana cook-offs different from anywhere else. We take pride in our cooking. We love spending time together. We show up for each other in the good times and the bad. It’s the reason we get homesick when we’re away. It’s also the reason so many of us never want to leave.
We started out as just two friends — Kelly Pitre and Zack Martin — who loved to cook together. It was that simple. We’d spend time around the pot, talking, experimenting, and finally looked at each other and said, “Why not test our skills in the competition scene?” What started as two friends cooking for fun has now turned into four years of competition, friendship, and a whole lot of food.
Very early on, we realized if we were going to do this right, we needed a bigger team. So we called in reinforcements, our good friends Rene’ Brue and Nick Stelly. Not long after that, Allen Porche with Gulf Coast Contracting Services, Scott Youngblood with Youngbuck Printing, and Ricky Portier joined in. That rounded out our
TRANSECH - “T-BIT”
Our cook-off journey didn’t exactly start with a casual “let’s give it a try.” It started because our company became a sponsor for the Rotary Cast Iron Cook-Off and our boss asked my coworker, Steve Saathoff, and me to create a dish for the competition.
The Cast Iron Cook-Off was our first competition, and we quickly realized we had no idea what we were getting into. Preparing food is one thing. Preparing 500 servings of a very specific portion is another. We had to rethink everything. We created a recipe with weight measurements for every single ingredient so we could scale it precisely. No guessing. No eyeballing.
Our first competition dish was Shrimp Fried Rice topped with an Asian fritter and drizzled with a sesame sauce. I’ll never forget how many people absolutely loved it. We had guests asking which restaurant we were from. That alone felt
core seven, with Nick Bascle stepping in as our honorary member whenever we need that extra helping hand.
Our first cook-off was the CASA of Terrebonne Crawfish Boil-Off. We went in just wanting to see where we stood, whether we were as good as we thought we were and whether this was something we’d even enjoy doing. We ended up taking third place! That was all the confirmation we needed. We were hooked.
Our team name, Pot-2-LA, always gets people talking. In Cajun French, it loosely means “not all there.” But for us, it means more than that. It represents the pot we cook in, the original two members who started it all, and LA for Louisiana — because this is home, and everything we cook reflects that.
Over the years, we’ve competed in just about every style you can think of: boiled crawfish, smoked pork butt, jambalaya, gumbo, even desserts. If we had to name a signature dish, though, it would be our Chantilly Fry Bread. That one tends to turn some heads.
One of the hardest things to perfect in a cookoff setting isn’t necessarily the recipe — it’s the volume. Every event is different. Crowd sizes
like a win. But then we actually won — first place in seafood and People’s Choice. That’s when we knew this was something special.
This year marked our fourth consecutive year at the Cast Iron, and I’d say Asian-inspired dishes are where we truly shine. We once tried putting a Spanish spin on fried rice, but classic Asian flavors are our wheelhouse. Bold, balanced, layered — that’s what we love.
The hardest thing to perfect in a cook-off setting is consistency. Cooking for 30 or 40 people at a gathering is completely different than preparing 500 to 750 servings. Even if you’re not giving full portions, you still have to go through the motions of producing that volume. We typically do three to four test cooks to determine what a “batch” really is and how many servings it produces. That’s the only way to know whether a dish can truly be executed in a cook-off setting.
Scaling seasoning is another science entirely. Salty and spicy elements don’t always multiply cleanly. Just because something tastes perfect at a single-portion scale doesn’t mean it will translate the same way in a large batch. We’ve learned that those elements often need to be reduced slightly when scaling up.
As for our recipes — yes, they’re pretty secret. Mostly because they’re ours. We don’t pull them from the internet. We learn a foundational technique and then build our own seasoning
vary depending on the cause, the weather, and a dozen other factors. We try to cook a minimum of 20 gallons no matter what, because one of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not cooking enough food and running out too early. There’s nothing worse than seeing a line of people and realizing the pot’s almost empty.
Around here, competition is strong. In our opinion, the Weenie Spaghetti Festival, the Rotary Club Cast Iron Cook-Off, and Wings For The Win are some of the most competitive events in the area. But what truly makes South Louisiana cook-offs different isn’t just the competition. It’s the variety, the people, and the culture. Nowhere else does it quite like this.
For us, it’s all about the fellowship. We love interacting with everyone who comes out, making connections, and giving back. The camaraderie between teams is something we value deeply, too. We compete hard, but we support each other just as hard. If we win a trophy, that’s just lagniappe. At the end of the day, cook-off culture can be summed up in three words: growing Houma’s community. And we’re proud to be a part of that growth, one pot at a time.
profiles from there. I’m not opposed to sharing recipes, but probably after the cook-off. Even then, it’s never exactly the same. Technique matters just as much as ingredients, and our team works incredibly well together. Everyone has their role in executing these complicated processes, and not everyone has the patience for that many steps.
When people ask if it’s about the trophy or the fellowship, I honestly struggle with that one.
The prep week is intense. We work full days and then spend nights cutting, measuring, batching ingredients. Our team members have families. They’re busy. But they still show up. One year, we made Ribeye Steak Rangoons with Beef Tallow Fried Rice. Asian food has so many ingredients, and fried rice requires day-old rice that’s been cooked and air-dried. My wife cooked batches every single day so we could have 17 batches ready. On cook-off morning, we asked our entire team to meet us downtown at 7 a.m. to assemble 750 rangoons on site. Seven hundred and fifty. I was incredibly proud of our team that day.
So yes, fellowship matters deeply. The teamwork, the shared effort, the late nights, that’s meaningful. But I won’t lie: when all that hard work translates into a dish people love, when your name gets called, it feels good. It makes it all worth it. POV
WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE |
BY KATIE RICHARD, MA, BSN, RN, DIRECTOR OF
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP REDUCE RISK OF COLON CANCER
While the incidence rate of some cancers has decreased, a surge in colorectal cancer cases, particularly among younger patients, baffles the medical community.
A 2024 study from the American Cancer Society found the probability of developing colorectal cancer increasing for adults in their mid-20s to their late 50s.
While diet and lifestyle are suspected to be driving factors in early onset colorectal cancer, many young patients present as healthy with no underlying conditions nor family history of the disease.
A scientific review of patients under age 50 published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) points to blood in the stool as the most common warning sign for the disease. Other common symptoms are abdominal pain, anemia and altered bowel habits. Younger adults are less likely to seek care when symptoms first present. Delays can result in the disease being more advanced and more difficult to treat.
Unfortunately the colon cancer rate in Louisiana is nearly 50% higher than the national average. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), it is the third most common cancer for both men and women in the US. It occurs when
abnormal cells grow in the lining of the large intestine—also called the colon—or the rectum. When detected early, colorectal cancer is highly curable.
Risk factors you can control.
Adjust your lifestyle and dietary habits to decrease your risk against developing colorectal cancer:
Nutritious diet
• Limit red meat, sugary drinks, ultraprocessed foods such as bacon, sausage and deli meats
• Increase fiber in your diet; eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils nuts and seeds; dietary fiber helps keep everything moving smoothly through your digestive system and supports gut health
• Add probiotics such as yogurt and kefir to support gut health, reduce inflammation and lower risk
• Avoid prepackaged, fried and fast foods
• Low levels of vitamin D may also increase risk.
Regular exercise
• Adults who stay active are shown to be less likely to have the disease
• ACS recommends getting 150-300 minutes per week of moderate exercise such as brisk walking or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise
• Healthy diet and regular exercise help maintain a healthy weight
No smoking
Smoking increases the risk of people developing colorectal and other cancers.
Limited alcohol
Heavy alcohol use is linked to colorectal cancer. ACS guidelines recommend no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink for women.
Regular screenings
Screening guidelines for adults at average risk should begin at age 45. Anyone with a family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or other risk factors may need to screen at an earlier age. Colonoscopies remain the gold standard for colorectal cancer detection.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should see their healthcare provider. Have questions? Contact Thibodaux Regional Cancer Institute at 985.493.4008.
JOHN DOUCET
OUR MAN IN ANNAPOLIS
In January, I took a rove to Toronto toting a brand-new, super-insulated, Michelin-mascot coat purchased from an outdoors catalog that has no business selling to Louisianians. I’ll never wear this again, I told myself. Well, guess what. Flying in over ice-covered inlets of the Chesapeake was only a prelude to the freezing. Leaving the airport, the black asphalt of the highways was a stark contrast to blocks of broken white ice piled along the roadsides. Apparently, it had been below freezing here for several days after a good snow. The temps were so low that I had to make certain the thermometers were reading Fahrenheit and not Celsius. Sure felt like Celsius.
I arrived at my sleep-and-coffee inn on State Circle, which together with nearby Church Circle looks like snow goggles staring up at you from a Google map. These circles were built back in colonial America when surveyors had only compasses and before the straight-edge ruler was invented. The inn where I stayed was a beautiful, red-bricked, black-roofed, historical building among streets of beautiful, red-bricked, black-roofed, historical buildings, all turned soft white in advance of a nor’easter that promised to develop into a bomb cyclone. Don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound too safe and touristy to me. Explains why the flight was so cheap.
Fortunately, the roads and sidewalks were cleared by scraping, shoveling, and plain old rock salt. Salt draws water from the surface of ice, making a liquid brine that won’t freeze again for about 10 more degrees. On colonial brick sidewalks, however, little salt rocks not only de-ice your path but also give a pleasing crunchy feeling underfoot, and the more crunchy friction atop your path the more better for your unbroken bones.
This is the capital city of Maryland. It was also the U.S. capital for 10 months in 1783-84. Instead of city hustle and bustle, however, today it’s hushed and barren. Annapolis is quiet when it’s this cold. Conversations and confrontations are all held indoors. The old churches toll on the hour day and night, and, when the sun hits just right, you can hear little avalanches in the distance sliding down steeply pitched roofs. If the shivering wouldn’t waken you, you could take an afternoon nap in the quiet outside the old State House. But that’s not why locals call this place “Naptown.” “Nap” is a contraction of the full name. Indianapolis also has this nickname, but, since they stole the NFL Colts franchise from the area, Annapolis has claimed sole proprietorship of the nickname. Fair game, they say here. There, they say Encroachment. The real origin of the name “Annapolis” is a bit equivocal. Some say that it was named after Lady Anne Arundell (1616–1649), wife of Cecilius Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore (1605–1675). Others say that it’s named after Princess Anne of Denmark and Norway (1665-1714), who would become Queen Anne of Great Britain (1702–1714). But a better explanation might be a contraction of “Animalapolis” (2026). Seems like everything here is named after an animal, despite the fact that you can’t see them in ice-fallen weather like this because they’re too smart to be out. There’s Ram’s Head Roadhouse, Great Frogs Winery, Elks Camp, Iron Rooster Restaurant, Old Fox Bookstore, Ram’s Heade Theater, Fox’s Den Gastropub, Hogshead Trade Museum, Dapper Dog Tattoo Parlor, and a suburb named Little Pigtown. You can find puppies, but only the hush kind and only on menus, and here they’re called fritters. Complimentary Deer Park bottled water greeted me in my room at the inn, as well as hunting-themed curtains and zoological wallpaper with silhouettes of butterflies, pigeons, and some sort of winged animal sporting cranial polyps. Might have been a prehistoric peacock. Hard to tell when it’s so cold.
Of course, there are things in common between Chesapeake Country and PoV Country. For instance, the Maryland Gazette was founded in Annapolis in 1745, and the Lafourche Gazette was founded in Larose in 1965. Another thing is land reclamation. The U.S. Naval Academy was built beginning in 1845 atop land impounded and reclaimed from southeastern Chesapeake Bay. Sixty years later, investors reclaimed bayou swamps and marshland and made Golden Meadow UNDER THE SCOPE | BY
Farms, Clovelly Farms, Delta Farms, and Raceland Farms. And just like our historical reclaimed lands, the Academy’s impoundment has suffered subsidence, erosion, and water incursion. (Perhaps they could have warned us.) In addition, here they name their winter storms just like we do for summer storms: The nor’easter that promised to chase me out of town was called Gianna. And speaking of named storms, 2021’s Hurricane Ida, which damaged our landscape so drastically here in the parishes changed theirs in the counties as well when the hurricane’s remnants spawned an EF-2 tornado near town just a few days after striking us.
Perhaps the most apparent similarity is our ten-legged friend, the blue crab. The genus of the blue crab is Callinectes, which is Greek for “beautiful swimmer.” The species name is sapidus, which is Latin for “savory.” This is quite ironic because a blue crab cannot be both beautifully swimming unto itself and savory unto a predator, like a Cajun, at the same time. Maybe we shouldn’t be mixing ancient languages. But in Annapolis everything seems to be a crab--even the lady at the art museum who warned me to step away from the Rembrandt. “Crabhouse” restaurants are all around me, as well as crab toys, crab ornaments, crab decals, crab refrigerator magnets, crab stuffed animals, crab cocktails, crab cakes, woolen crab beanie hats with dangling pincers and legs, and crab pot holders (for kitchen use, not recreational use, although the latter may exist at other stores I didn’t visit). Marquees on Main Street mark the Pink Crab Boutique, Yellow Crab Sushi, and Crabbie’s Caramel Corn and Nuts. In Annapolis, it seems they mostly manufacture doodads and confections that look and taste like crabs. On the bayous, we mostly just eat the crabs directly. And as if I needed help, the city magazine had an illustrated page of directions on how to peel a crab. “First,” it tells, “pull back the apron.” That sounded a little too naughty for me. I know there’s a technical name for the apron, but it sounds even more naughty.
Returning home after a week of crab food, I rerouted around the bomb cyclone to much delay and landed at MSY at 1:30 AM. Driving home to PoV country in the warm darkness, my mind was helpless but to imagine blocks of white ice piled along the roadsides. And, too, it was quiet. POV
Houma Family Dental
Play It Forward
March 6
The Oaks of Thibodaux
Play It Forward is back, bringing a fun night out that directly supports the exhibits, programs, and play experiences at Bayou Country Children’s Museum. Enjoy gaming tables, raffles, pay-to-play games, live and silent auctions, great food, and live music by Nonc Nu and the Wild Matous. Visit bccm. info to learn more and purchase tickets.
La Mariposa Butterfly Release and Picnic
March 21, 11 a.m.
Terrebonne Parish Main Library
Come out for the La Mariposa Butterfly Release and Picnic at the Main Library! This program features a story time and an outdoor walking parade, where the butterflies who have grown up in the library will be released into the community garden. (All Terrebonne Parish Libraries will have living caterpillars in nets to show the life cycle of a butterfly in early March.) Bring your own picnic lunch. This program is free to attend and open to the public. Please visit the library’s calendar at mytpl.org or call your favorite library location for more dates and times of butterfly release events.
51st Annual Over and Under Tunnel Run
March 21
Houma Municipal Auditorium
We’re thrilled to celebrate the 51st Annual Over and Under Tunnel Run and we can’t do it without you! Your dedication, enthusiasm, and generosity have made this race the longest-running 5K in our community, and together we’re just getting started. Join us as we run, cheer, and give back, because this race is about more than crossing the finish line. It’s about supporting The Foundation for Terrebonne General and their mission to strengthen community healthcare and wellness right here at home.
Home Is Where the Heart Is: The Haven Spring Gala
March 21, 6 - 9 p.m.
Barry P. Bonvillain Civic Center
Presented by Thibodaux Regional Health System, this special event that helps to raise awareness and funds in support of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Guests can enjoy cuisine from local restaurants and chefs, participate in the silent and live auctions featuring hundreds of items, including the infamous “Gourmet-to-Go” which offers delicious homemade delicacies, take part in raffles, and much more!
Super Cooper 5K & Fun Run20 year Celebration!
March 28, 8-11 a.m.
117 Prevost Drive, Houma
Join the fun at the 20th annual Super Cooper 5K! All proceeds benefit local families whose newborn infants are admitted to our local Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Registration begins at 7 a.m., with the 1 mile fun run beginning at 8 a.m., followed by the 5K. Participants will enjoy music, food, refreshments and fun following the races.
Links Fore Liam
March 30, 9 a.m.
Ellendale Country Club, Houma
Join Houma native Nick Bascle and his family as they strive to surpass $1 million raised for pediatric brain cancer research in memory of his son Liam Bascle. Diagnosed with brain cancer, specifically ependymoma, at the age of ten months, Liam’s sevenyear battle was a reminder of the urgency of finding a cure for pediatric brain cancer and improving treatments for those affected. As LFL approaches their fifth year hosting golf events, they have raised over $800,000, a testament to the generosity and commitment of our communities in supporting pediatric brain cancer research. Links Fore Liam has grown each year, driven by the collective efforts of families, friends, and local organizations who come together in Liam’s memory. The tournament has a donor matching 2 for 1 if they raise $25K. Help make a difference in Liam’s memory. More information and sign-ups can be found at linksforeliam.org. POV
