Cajun Men Cook // Beau Brooks

Rachel Klaus, co-features editor Bayou Region cooking isn’t just unique in flavor, but also who is stirring the pot. Unlike in many cultures where women do the majority of the cooking, Cajun men are often the ones who take the reigns in the kitchen. And that’s something Thibodaux-native Beau Brooks takes pride in. Brooks, an attorney and president of the non-profit organization of Upside Downs, says he thinks the reason why so many men cook in the Bayou Region is because they travel to places like their hunting or fishing camps. “Most of the time it is just a bunch of guys there and each one will cook a meal on a certain day,” Brooks says. “That’s just how people have grown up since they were little.” Marshall Welsh, chef and instructor for the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, says one of the reasons why so many men cook in the Bayou Region is because of chefs like Justin Wilson, Paul Prudhomme and John Folse. “People grew up watching those guys on television, it made it seem like cooking was a good pastime,” Welsh says. “I think a lot of men cook because they think it is fun, especially since there is a unique culture of food in the bayou area.” Brooks says he actually got his love of cooking from his grandmother. “While growing up, I realized that my favorite dishes were the ones my grandmother cooked,” Brooks says. “When I went somewhere else and tasted the same meal, it was not the same. I picked up her habits and got her to teach me how to cook. I think over the years, I pretty much perfected all of her recipes, even though she did not follow any in particular.” Cooking to him is a stress reliever, and a way to pass a good time with friends and family. Like his grandmother, Brooks does not follow any certain recipe. Although Brooks can cook just about anything, his favorite things to cook are stews, gumbos, jambalaya and pastalaya. It is really anything that is native to Louisiana’s Bayou Region. No matter what he cooks or how he prepares it, his neighbor and friend, Codi Waguespack will eat any dish he puts in front of her. “My favorite things that he makes is his shrimp and crawfish stew, also the lima beans with a roux,” she says. “His lima beans are the best.” Brandon Ruttley, another friend and neighbor, says Brooks is a perfectionist when it comes to cooking and that he probably should have gone to culinary school instead of law school. “I think he gets ideas off of Pinterest and makes it his own,” Ruttley says. “Just about every other day he knocks on my door and drops off different foods.” From boiled seafood to a good old fashioned roux, finding good home-cooked meals will not be hard to come by since it is a part of the unique culture of South Louisiana. Ruttley says cooking is important to the culture because it has been carried through generation to generation and Brooks is helping the culture expand by instilling the value of fixing a home-cooked meal for his family almost every night, preserving his culinary heritage.

Offshore Work // Families at Home

by Rachel Klaus, co-features editor The stories of work off-shore in the oil and gas industry in South Louisiana are often told— long, often dangerous stints away from home; but those lesser known are of the families who stay at home and support them. For Heather Stevens of Thibodaux, the holidays can be tough, especially since her husband is working offshore in Mauritania, Africa.Heather’s husband, Colt, works for Weatherford, one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies in the United States. Together, Colt and Heather have three children: 5-year-old twins Ana and Ady and 1-year-old Vander. And while Heather says her girls understand why their father is away, they still have mini-meltdowns from time to time when they are missing him. “The girls understand that their daddy is at work and that he does this for us,” Heather says. In addition to being the only parent when Colt is away, Heather also has her own business Belle Visage, a women’s clothing and skin care boutique in downtown Thibodaux. “I don’t sugarcoat it because it is hard,” she says. “Besides my business, I do makeup for weddings on some weekends, and when he is gone, I rely on my family members to help with the kids.” When Colt is offshore he is not only five hours ahead, but he is not allowed to use bandwidth for things like FaceTime when he is on the rig or drill ship. Heather says she thinks one day her children will completely understand why he works away most of the time, and sometimes she has to remind herself that she understands too. “Everything my husband and I do is for our family,” Heather says. “We want our children to have a great education and long-term stability. We hope one day that he won’t have to do this, especially as the kids get older.” Like Heather’s children, John Lefort, 30 of Cutoff, missed his dad too. Lefort’s father, Philip, worked as a welder offshore for Danos until John was a sophomore in high school and then he began work overseas for various contractors another 14 years working his way up to project manager for construction. “When you are real young, like 5 or 6, you catch on to what is going on,” Lefort says. “You understand and you wait for them to come in. It’s a hard thing for a kid when your dad is only there for truly half of your life.” Lefort’s father typically worked 14 days on and 14 days off, and sometimes 30 on and 30 off. But he says his dad always made up for the time lost when he was home. While his dad was gone, Lefort’s mom took care of both parenting roles. He says she did a good job, but every kid still needs a father figure. “As a child of a parent that works offshore, when you have a good job, the money is great,” he says. “You get to spend time together when they are there, but it’s hard when they are not there when you need them.” Colt Stevens leaving to work offshore. Heather and Colt Stevens with Ana, Ady and Vander. Colt Stevens playing with Van on break from working offshore. Colt Stevens, in from offshore, helping with one of his twins’ baseball games. Heather Stevens owns downtown Thibodaux boutique Belle Visage in addition to parenting three children while her husband Colt is offshore. Ana and Ady often help mom, Heather Stevens, at her Thibodaux boutique, Belle Visage. Heather Stevens takes over parenting Ana, Ady and Van while her husband Colt Stevens is working offshore. John Lefort with his dad, Philip, who worked offshore while he was growing up. Philip Lefort working on a rig offshore.

Working for Health // Colonel Nutrition

by Taylor Gautreaux, co-features editor No one in the Bayou Region is working to inspire community members to live a healthier lifestyle quite like Colonel Nutrition. Vinson Towns opened the smoothie and vitamin supplement shop, located at 1008 Canal Boulevard in Thibodaux, in late 2009. Vinson’s interest in nutrition and fitness developed after the passing of a loved one due to health-related issues. He became determined to improve his own lifestyle and opted to start a business that would help others do the same. At Colonel Nutrition, Vinson makes an effort to connect with every person they serve. The bond he builds with customers plays a large role in the shop’s success. “We text our customers on a daily basis,” Vinson says. “We communicate on a level where we’re making sure they are on the right track to reaching their goals. We want them to know we’re here to help them, not just do a business transaction.” Pictures of those customers before and after their transformations line one wall of Colonel Nutrition. Motivational quotes fill another. One regular customer, Brad Rodrigue, has gotten a smoothie from Colonel Nutrition every day for the past seven years as part of his daily workout routine. “The smoothies are unbeatable,” Brad says. “I always come here after visiting the Wellness Center and they automatically boost my spirits and really just make me feel good.” Vinson’s daughter Zoie helps operate Colonel Nutrition. Like her father, she is passionate about encouraging people to live a healthy life. “I love to see when people are impacted by the products that we carry,” she says. “People come in every day and tell me how our smoothies helped them lose weight or gave them more energy throughout the day. That’s what we want to hear.” Colonel Nutrition offers nearly 80 flavors of meal-replacement smoothies that satisfy hunger for typically three hours. Each smoothie has less than 250 calories and contains 25 grams of protein and 9 grams of carbs. For people who are interested in making their own smoothies at home, vitamin supplements can also be purchased at the shop. However, Colonel Nutrition offers more to the community than tasty drinks. They hold free fitness camps on Monday through Thursday evenings in Peltier Park. “All you need to do is show up,” says Vinson. “Show up with a good attitude and be ready to get a powerful workout in.” Vinson hopes for Colonel Nutrition to continue being a source of inspiration and encouragement for citizens of the Bayou Region to make healthier life choices and stay in shape. https://youtu.be/4oFQ2zW63Ms

Fueling Life // Gaubert & Waguespack oil

by Taylor Gautreaux, co-features editor The Bayou Region’s oil and gas industry dominates life in South Louisiana. From the local infrastructure to the job market, our communities are largely dependent upon the activities of this industry. “If you go to the town of Houma now and you know what it used to look like, it’s obvious what the oil field has done,” says Nic Schaff, a sales representative for Gaubert Oil Company. In many ways, the Bayou Region developed as a result of the industry’s prosperity. “Our schools are here to teach the children of the people who work in the oil field. We have restaurants to feed them. We have hospitals to care for them,” Schaff says. “These towns were built because of the industry and its workers.” The state is ranked second in the country in crude oil and gas production, as well as petroleum refining capacity. With nearly 18 percent of the country’s oil supply passing through Louisiana parishes, these natural resources allow the state to make contributions on a national level as well. “I think if you really look back at the history of the oil and gas industry as far as exploration, you’ll find that a lot of innovations used worldwide have come directly out of this region,” Schaff says. Louisiana is home to several startup companies working to advance technology for the industry. Improvements in the performance of oil drilling and production quality have also been made. However, the state has experienced about a 20 percent drop in crude oil production since 2013, according to Louisiana’s Department of Natural Resources. “It’s really impacted buying habits, which has affected everything else,” says Albert “Al” Waguespack Jr., president of Waguespack Oil Company. “People aren’t spending extra money because they’re having to save it to pay for the basics.” He adds that the industry has gotten slightly better over the past couple of months, but 30 to 40 percent of supply boats remain out of service. “Unfortunately, it seems it will be like this for a while,” Waguespack says. “The prediction of where oil and gas is headed changes every day.” The uncertainty of the industry’s future is due to low oil prices globally. Schaff says that it’s largely based on decisions that governments in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia are making. Despite the industry’s decline, companies such as Gaubert Oil have continued business by finding alternate ways to operate. “We’ve diversified into other industries such as construction and transportation,” Schaff says. “We’re not solely relying on the oil and gas industry as far as drilling activities go.” He adds that the company employs nearly 350 people and has never laid anyone off due to the industry’s fluctuation. “As a workforce, we are very reliant on the oil and gas industry,” says Schaff. “But we are also innovative. We’ll always find solutions to get by.”

Blending Cultures // Bypass Fiesta Grill

by Taylor Gautreaux, co-features editor Homemade dresses and sombreros line the walls. An alligator head rests on top of a drink cooler. While these items might not seem to go together naturally, they do at the Bypass Fiesta Grill, a Mexican restaurant whose owners bring their Central Mexican heritage with their adopted Cajun culture — a blended culture that focuses on family. Chon Medrano, a native of San Miguel, Zacatecas, Mexico, along with his wife Maryanna and their children own and operate the 2-year-old restaurant at 1818 LA Hwy 3185 in Thibodaux. “All four of our kids work here. I love it,” says Chon. “At first, none of them wanted a restaurant. I kept pushing because I always dreamed of having a business with my family. Now I’ve got it.” The restaurant helps introduce Mexican cuisine to the Bayou Region, while also embracing local foods such as poboys and beignets. The blending of cultures creates a dining experience that is unique to the area. “It’s a bit out of the way for me, but I make the extra effort to come here,” says Rita Chatsko, a customer of Bypass Fiesta Grill. “I like the options. I like that I can get a platter of fried catfish and enchiladas in the same place.” The Mexican food that Bypass Fiesta Grill offers in its four-page menu, though, focus on their family recipes — recipes from their region. The dishes range from pechuga a la plancha, grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed mushrooms and onions, to fajita tampiquena, Mexican steak served with cheese enchiladas. One of the most popular items is molcajete mariscos — sautéed pico de gallo, various seafood and cheese — served in a stone bowl. “It’s my favorite dish, and it’s a favorite of many regulars,” says Chon. “It’s items like molcajete that keep people coming back because they can’t get it from anywhere else around here.” Maryanna says that she is most proud of providing guests with fresh food. “If you want fast Mexican food, go to Taco Bell,” she says with a laugh. “We take our time here.” The family isn’t just particular about their food. After moving from Mexico to Las Vegas almost 20 years ago, Chon says he new it wasn’t home and began searching for just the right place. “I told my wife there had to be a better place to raise our kids,” says Chon. “I went to state after state searching for it. And on my way to Florida, I found it.” He says that he chose to settle in Louisiana because he was attracted to the friendly people and slow-paced environment. “Life is beautiful here,” says Chon. “Louisiana is full of happy, hard working people. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.” And while Chon worked as a painter for many years, his real passion and goal was the restaurant industry. He says that Louisiana’s food culture was another factor that drew him to the state. “I could visualize myself and my family with a restaurant,” says Chon. “So I kept picturing it and eventually it came to life.” His daughter Alondra says that the business has brought the family closer together. “It was a challenging experience because we had to adjust our lifestyles,” she adds. “It can be very time consuming, and it’s a lot of responsibility. But Bypass Fiesta Grill has become a second home.” With no experience in the food industry, the family had to learn the ropes. “You have to know what you’re doing, and I think we’ve really caught on with Bypass over the last two years,” says Chon. The Medranos are expanding their business with another restaurant on Canal Boulevard that will open in the next few months. It will have a drive-thru and outdoor seating, two features that Bypass Fiesta Grill doesn’t have. “We’re taking it slow,” explains Chon. “The new restaurant won’t be anything major, but it’ll be another stepping stone to bigger and better things.” The family says they are excited to continue serving the community and offer Thibodaux a new option for Mexican food in the upcoming months. https://youtu.be/YfmiJNsO9Xs

Sugar // A Way of Life

by Rachel Klaus, Co-Features Editor To many, sugar is just a sweet and tasty treat. But to some, like those in South Louisiana, sugar is a way of life. For Lester Gravois, 95 of Thibodaux, he has been farming sugarcane since 1937. He started growing sugar with his father, Charles, and now works with his son, Bobby. “I started working with my daddy long ago, and before we could go out in the field we had to feed our mules,” Lester says, “That meant getting up at 3 in the morning and I tell you it was work. Compare to what we do now to what we did back then, it wasn’t cake. But you know it was life.” During the harvest season, which starts in late September, they start before the sun comes up and finish long after it sets. And while the harvest season only lasts about 100 days, the work of producing sugar continues all year. Shortly after they finish the work of the harvest, it’ll be time to plant again for next year. In the Bayou Region of Louisiana, the production of sugarcane goes back nearly three centuries. And Lafourche Parish, where Gravois is based, harvests 15 percent of all sugar cane crops in Louisiana. Since sugarcane was first brought to New Orleans by the Jesuit priests in 1751, it has has grown to be a bedrock of the South Louisiana economy. Roughly 5,000 sugarcane farmers farmed more than 403,000 acres of cane in 2016 in Louisiana, bringing in $450 million, according to the American Sugar Cane League. This economic impact is made through a lot of hard work. Hard work and good weather. The crop can only be as perfect as the weather — enough rain throughout the growing season to make the stalks grow tall and dry at the end to make the juice sweet. Luckily, the weather has been perfect in South Louisiana this year. And while the tools used to harvest and process are different today than when Gravois first started — mechanical combine harvesters versus mules and hand tools — the process is really still the same. The cane stalk is cut into pieces, the leaves are discarded and then the stalks are brought to a mill. Once the stalks are brought to the mill they are crushed into a juice, boiled down to a thick syrup until crystals form. Sugarcane shapes our region from the ground up. From the families that grow it to the families that refine it, it’s in their blood. It’s a way of life.

From the Ground Up // Work in the Bayou Region

by Taylor Gautreaux, Co-Features Editor Workers in the Bayou Region of Louisiana can be described with one word: innovative. “When people say Cajun ingenuity, it’s truly a thing that people don’t quite understand,” says Cody Blanchard, chairman of the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce. “It means that we find solutions for things. For example, we are experts at building levees because we had to learn to live with the land.” In South Louisiana, we work with what’s available. Our location gives access to waterways and natural resources that allow us to diversify our job market. The fall 2017 issue of Garde Voir Ci focuses on the aspects of our work that set us apart from other areas of the country. We work from the “ground up,” literally and figuratively – from life offshore to the sugarcane fields to family-owned and operated businesses. We are working to power, feed and inspire. As of March, 1,901,295 jobs are held in Louisiana, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Our workforce makes up 1.33 percent of workers in the country, and we are 0.9 percent below the national unemployment rate. The oil and gas industry is the largest employer of the Bayou Region. Port Fourchon in Lafourche Parish services over 90 percent of the Gulf of Mexico’s deep-water oil production, which accounts for nearly 18 percent of the nation’s total oil supply. “We’re where the rubber meets the road,” explains Blanchard. “Houston is where they control oil and gas. Lafayette has some service companies as well, but the Bayou Region is where it comes out of the ground. We are those hard workers that get stuff done.” The industry helped modernize our communities over the last decade by allowing us to advance in ways that other parts of the country already had. “These were very rural towns,” says Paul Wilson, head of Nicholls State University’s history department. “But because of the oil field, you can now have a city like Houma that is booming economically with paved roads, stores and restaurants.” Aside from oil and gas, we also work to provide food to fuel our communities. One out of every 70 jobs in Louisiana is tied to the seafood industry, which brings in $2.4 billion annually for the state, according to the state of Louisiana’s Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board. Additionally, Nicholls State University is home to the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, the only post-secondary institution that offers a four-year culinary degree in Louisiana. “It’s a great program,” says Blanchard. “It’s something we could expand on.” And when it comes to sugarcane, Cajuns do more than farm. Alternative uses for the crop have been developed. Virdia, a global manufacturer of biomaterials, has two biochemical plants in Raceland that convert sugarcane and its byproducts like bagasse into pellets that are used for energy production. “These are unique things that are happening,” says Blanchard. “We’re finding new ways of doing things.” While energy and agriculture play a large role in our history, our art also embraces our cultural heritage and ingenuity. From glass fusion to paintings, workers in the Bayou Region tend to incorporate aspects of life on the bayou into their craft. The Purple Penguin Art Company, an art gallery in Thibodaux, features signatures of Louisiana in its displays. Crawfish. Fleurs-de-lis. Pelicans. Sugarcane fields. Plantations. These images appear throughout the gallery, keeping the culture and history alive. “If you look at our pieces, they scream Louisiana to you,” said Tyla Deroche, an artist at The Purple Penguin Art Company. “Louisiana has such a rich culture that you can pretty much get inspired by anything that you see.” So “look at this” to learn more about how citizens of the Bayou Region are working to power, feed and inspire in this edition of Garde Voir Ci.