From Tennessee Cookouts to New Orleans Parades—All the Way to Caribbean Comfort
Welcome to The Gumbo Hut—where every dish comes with a story.
My Roots
My roots stretch from Martin and Memphis, Tennessee, to New Orleans, Louisiana, and reach to Haiti. Food has always been the heartbeat of my family and my identity.
Gumbo and More
On my father’s side, family gatherings in Tennessee meant learning the art of barbecue, perfecting rice and gravy and cabbage, and enjoying my dad’s famous lemon icebox pie. On my mother’s side, New Orleans meant bold Creole and Cajun flavors—seafood gumbo, red beans and rice, potato salad—the real soul of Southern cooking.
Big Chief Monk: Mardi Gras Royalty
Growing up, my maternal grandparents called me “Grits” because as a baby, if any grits hit the floor, I was right there to eat them. That nickname stuck, and so did my love for Southern food. My early days were filled with rice and gravy, red beans and rice, seafood gumbo, and lemon icebox pie.
My family’s New Orleans roots run deep—my mother’s first cousin, Monk Boudreaux (Big Chief Monk), has led the Mardi Gras parade for more than 50 years and was nominated for a Grammy in the “Regional Roots” category for Bloodstains & Teardrops. At 82 years old, Monk Boudreaux is still creating his own iconic costumes by hand and keeping the tradition alive.
Come in and view his patches from his costume from the last Mardi Gras and see his official announcement from the Mayor of New Orleans.
Our Promise
At The Gumbo Hut, I bring all these influences to your table—classic Creole and Cajun dishes, Southern comfort food, and sometimes a taste of my Haitian-Caribbean heritage.
Every recipe is made with love and memory, honoring the people who taught me that food is more than what’s on the plate—it’s connection, history, and home.
When you eat here, you’re not just enjoying a meal; you’re sharing a piece of my family’s story and the living culture of New Orleans.
Food Gallery
Thank you for letting The Gumbo Hut be part of your story, too.