It all started with a slice of cheesecake.
"Cheesecake is and always has been my first love," says Chef Jodie Martin, 51, owner of Geaux Fresh in Minden. "Cheesecake holds a special place in my heart because it's how God taught me to put my hand to something."
When Martin opened her bistro and bakery in 2016, she did more than bring delicious healthy food options to rural North Louisiana; she's giving other women like her a fresh start, too. Since 2018, she has employed women who have completed, or are completing, a faith-based rehab or recovery program and live at Generation House—a transitional living space just blocks away from her restaurant—while they get back on their feet. Martin's bigheartedness captured the attention of HGTV's Home Town Kickstart, the new Ben and Erin Napier series honoring people who make a difference in their small-town communities with life-changing renovations.
In the Minden episode, which aired on the network May 31, the eatery received a major facelift, with an updated interior and an expanded, more efficient kitchen space. "They were able to create a space that reflects more of my heart and gives the community a beautiful place to go in and dine," says Martin.
Although Geaux Fresh is best known for its fresh ingredients and friendly staff, chocolate pies and Cucumber Jalapeno Lemonade are a few of the signature dishes that keep customers coming back. Almost everything in the restaurant is made from scratch, and the goal of Martin and her team is to provide customers with flavorful, clean food. On any given weekday, Martin can be found in her busy kitchen whipping up mouthwatering paninis, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and homemade soups, as well as baking luscious desserts including, of course, her famous cheesecake.
Inspired to make her lifelong dream of baking and cooking a reality, Martin began her culinary journey in her mid-20s, baking out of her home kitchen and selling her prize-winning cheesecake by the slice, gradually growing her customer base. Before that, while operating out of her own kitchen, Martin would hold plate lunch fundraisers and donate the money to different projects. Since then, the downtown establishment has become a lunchtime staple of the Minden community, with the Bistro’s success allowing her to reach more worthy causes than ever before. Through Geaux Fresh Give Back, a weekly promotion Martin donates a portion of the restaurant's proceeds from the day to a local cause.
In fact, Martin was even nominated for the 2020 Country Roads Small Town Chefs Awards for her fresh take on traditional bistro. Our recommendations (which still hold up, according to HGTV!) include the Spicy Nola Wrap stuffed with grilled shrimp and house-made remoulade sauce; the Bluebell salad with spring greens, blueberries, and turkey bacon; or the Rocky Balboa burger with Italian sausage, mozzarella and pesto. visitwebster.net.
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