Lucie Monk Carter (left and right); Louisiana Northshore (center)
Our 2019 Small Town Chefs are Kyle Gautreaux (Stab's Steak and Seafood, Central, La.), Luke Hidalgo (Hambone, Mandeville, La.), and Ben Lewis (Restaurant 1796, St. Francisville, La.).
A small town chef, we decided six years ago, is a man or woman bubbling over with culinary chops, creativity, and passion and bestowing those gifts upon a little community rather than a larger city’s more robust dining population. It’s a reciprocal relationship, and when we tell the stories of these chefs each year with our Small Town Chefs Awards, we enjoy the opportunity to explore the place that buoys them too. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome three new towns to our competition.
Chef Kyle Gautreaux finds new umami frontiers at Stab’s Steak and Seafood (Central, La.), whether it’s the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with sage brown butter and roasted red pepper coulis, the Savory Creole Bread Pudding with fried shrimp, or other elegantly adorned proteins—salted, seared, and superb to the last ounce. Stab’s now has a second location, on Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge, but the original spot is Gautreaux’s happy domain and a mad-dash destination for diners in Central and beyond.
It’s only been a few months since Chef Luke Hidalgo opened Hambone (Mandeville, La.) with his wife Marci and already the accolades are pouring in. The menu calls itself comfort food but we’re in a frenzy thinking of delights like the Oysters Marci (with caramelized fennel, bacon, mushrooms, Herbsaint, and pecan smoke) and Yellowfin Tuna (with farro, kimchi, Louisiana yams, green goddess dressing, sweet potato hot sauce, and sunflower seed trail mix).
His take on southern cuisine was developed over open flame at hunting and fishing camps across the South, refined at an esteemed restaurant in the Caribbean and put to the test as he endured a forty-six day martial law experience following Hurricane Irma’s siege on the Virgin Island. Next, Chef Ben Lewis helped open the new Restaurant 1796, on site at The Myrtles Plantation (St. Francisville, La.), even further refining his ability of harnessing the crackle, spit, and flame of fire and make it do his bidding across a broad menu. Judging by his past, this up-and-coming chef has the skills to wow with even the most simple ingredients.
Look for our winning chefs’ profiles in the July issue of Country Roads, and join us for dinner on Thursday, June 27, as each chef contributes a signature dish to a multi-course menu at the Louisiana Culinary Institute.
Tickets to the dinner are $90 and are on sale now. Proceeds from the event support the LCI Foundation. Learn more about the Small Town Chefs Awards at countryroadsmag.com/cuisine/smalltownchefs.
