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  • Teri Dupuy-Gore, Hub Lafayette Urban Ministries

    Teri Dupuy-Gore, Hub Lafayette Urban Ministries
    2025/11/20
    Our guest is Teri Dupuy-Gore, Executive Director of Hub Lafayette Urban Ministries, a Christ-centered outreach serving our neighbors experiencing homelessness, chronic poverty, hunger, and difficult life transitions. Teri shares how The Hub and its Lovewell Center at 1515 W. University Avenue in Lafayette, create a place to be present in our community and love people right where they are, offering not only practical resources but dignity, relationship, and restored hope. The Lovewell Center: Eat Well, Dress Well, Style Well, Smell Well Teri explains that Hub Lafayette Urban Ministries “actually unifies two separate ministries,” and that this conversation focuses on The Lovewell Center at 1515 W. University Within the Lovewell, members access four resource “stores”: Eat Well – “kind of like a Walmart where you can get toothpaste, toilet paper, nonperishable canned goods, things of that nature… like a mini Walmart.” Dress Well – gently-used men’s and women’s clothing: “belts, shoes, pants, coats… new socks and new underwear… gently used backpacks.” Style Well – “where you get your hair cut by a licensed beautician or barber.” Smell Well – “our six stackable commercial washers and dryers so you can wash your clothes.” All of these resources are available to members of the Lovewell Center. Membership & the Points System: “A hand up, not a hand out” Becoming a member is intentionally simple: “To be a member, you simply have to walk in and say, hey, I want to be a member. There’s no criteria.” When someone joins, the team takes basic information: name, phone number (if they have one), address (or notes if they’re living on the streets), and next of kin — “because we want to become your family… we want to be your family anyway.” New members “automatically get 20 points for just joining us.” The Lovewell uses a points system instead of cash so people can actively participate in their own progress: “You earn points by taking classes because we believe in healing and helping yourself… or you’d bring us your check stub from a job that you have now.” Teri explains that this model is particularly powerful “for people who are struggling in chronic poverty, because we can help you offset the cost of everyday life without using money, but using points… you get to make decisions.” Members can choose to “earn points and store them up, or earn points and spend them,” and that freedom is central to their approach: “We instill dignity and value in you… it’s a beautiful, beautiful opportunity for us to be able to be present in our community and love people right where they are.” Classes that Heal Broken Relationships At the heart of Lovewell are the classes that help people earn points and, more importantly, work toward inner healing: “Our classes are geared around broken relationships that we feel everyone has or will have — a broken relationship with God, a broken relationship with yourself, a broken relationship with others, or a broken relationship with creation. So our classes are all geared around healing in those areas.” Classes typically run for eight weeks and meet for one hour, once a week. Facilitators are often people who have personally wrestled with the same issues they’re teaching about: “I may overcome something and say, I would love to teach this class… using the experiences that I have and the healing that I’ve received… and share that with others. Giving them hope.” Communication classes are a key example: “For some of our members… it’s very natural to have a confrontational conversation. It’s not natural to scale that down to where it is speaking truth with grace. It’s usually just truth in your face.” The goal is to help everyone “have a voice and be heard” in “a polite and generous way.” Teri calls these classes “really the heart of the Lovewell Center” and “the heart of the mission of The Hub.” She sums up their mission this way: “Our mission statement is, "We’re on a mission to offer everyone in our city access to restored life. And we believe in what we call the four R’s: Rescue, Relationships, Resources and Recovery.” Community Meals & Daily Presence The Lovewell Center is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the yard open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. For neighbors experiencing homelessness, it’s a safe place simply to belong: “If our friends experiencing homelessness need a place to go, they come and hang out with us, because they are wanted and belong.” Every Tuesday night a community meal is offerred “Every Tuesday night we have community meal, which means we all get together and eat dinner together. Anyone in the community is invited… We start at 6:00 and we’re usually finished by 7:15–7:30 p.m.” From 6:00–6:25 p.m., there are large-group activities — bingo, class time, or worship — and if you ...
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    1分未満
  • Kent Zerangue – Food With Love

    Kent Zerangue – Food With Love
    2025/11/14
    Discover Lafayette welcomes Kent Zerangue, the founder of Food With Love, “a heart centered ministry of Hospice of Acadiana” that he first began in July 2017 when he offered to cook for a former classmate whose son had been diagnosed with a brain bleed. Kent had retired in March of 2017 with plans to open a catering business, but he experienced an epiphany that overshadowed any need to make money. He shares in our interview how his parents were devout followers of Jesus Christ and consistently demonstrated love to their family, neighbors, and community through their actions in helping and praying for others. Kent's culinary journey with Hospice of Acadiana was jumpstarted by a simple meal of shrimp and okra gumbo. When he was 18, a neighbor's daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. The young woman loved the delicious shrimp and okra gumbo Kent's mom would make, and he said, "Ican still see my mom walking through the thick St. Augustine grass to bring Debra her shrimp and okra gumbo, and more importantly, to be present for a family in need." Fast forward years later when Kent's dad was in hospice care and a family friend came over with "shrimp and okra gumbo. The comfort that meal delivered was indescribable. This gumbo filled my stomach, but more importantly, this meal---this simple act of bringing food---placed unspeakable joy in my heart during a most difficult time." Kent knew his retirement plans had to change. He decided to put aside notions of making a profit and begin cooking for families in need. Since then, Food with Love has grown dramatically in its outreach, mobilizing volunteers to prepare and deliver “delicious, comforting, home cooked meals to patients and their families,” providing nourishment, dignity, and what Kent describes as “a tangible that our community cares about.” Kent Zerangue assisted a longtime friend, Claire from his school days, when her 34-year old son was diagnosed with a brain bleed. He provided meals for the family while her son was in treatment in Houston. Kent shared that afterward, he began cooking for other families in need. By the end of his first year in cooking service, several other families were added to the food chain. When he saw Claire in person for the first time in 40 years she said "Kent, you are providing food with love!" Thus the name of the ministry was born. From One Family to 135 Families Kent began by cooking for one family, and within months, support and demand grew: “Over the first nine months or six months, we ended up with ten families.” His early recipients included “ALS patients… terminally ill, long term Parkinson’s.” “None of them were in hospice care. They just knew that I was cooking.” By February 2018, Kent approached Hospice of Acadiana to officially offer meals:“I kind of got my sea legs under me a little bit. And then they started giving me families.” By the end of 2018, he served about 60 families. Today, Food With Love serves about 135 families, preparing approximately 800 meals a week. The simple, profound message is "Jesus loves you. Jesus has always loved you. Jesus will never abandon you." The Move From His Backyard to a Commercial Kitchen For over 7 years, Kent cooked from his backyard commercial kitchen. Volunteers arrived naturally—“I had this lady call me one day…‘I’ve been watching you for about a year… Can I come volunteer?’ I didn’t even know I needed a volunteer.” Eventually he approached then-CEO Kacee Thompson of Hospice of Acadiana: “Do we want food with love to be something that continues for the long term? Her response was, “Absolutely.” She later called him saying, “Are you ready to start fundraising?” A space had become available on the side of Hospice of Acadiana, on the corner of Johnston and Christopher Street. Kent shared: “In less than 11 weeks, we had raised $1 million.” The kitchen is now fully paid for, USDA-approved, and equipped with the finest of equipment.
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    1分未満
  • Chanda Rubin – Louisiana Tennis Legend

    Chanda Rubin – Louisiana Tennis Legend
    2025/11/07
    Chanda Rubin – From Carencro to World Tennis Stardom This special episode of Discover Lafayette features an archival interview with Lafayette’s own Chanda Rubin, one of the greatest athletes to emerge from our community. Originally recorded in 2014 for Upper Lafayette on the Move, this conversation revisits Chanda’s remarkable journey—from a young girl learning to hit tennis balls against a chain-link fence in her family’s backyard to becoming a top-ten player in the world. Growing up in Carencro, Chanda was inspired by her parents, Judge Ed Rubin and Bernadette Rubin, who built a tennis court behind their home. What began as family recreation soon revealed Chanda’s natural talent and determination. By age seven, she was competing in tournaments; by her early teens, she was winning national titles. Her first tournament at Thomas Park may have ended in defeat, but it lit the fire that propelled her forward. Balancing her education at Episcopal School of Acadiana (ESA) with a burgeoning professional tennis career, Chanda turned pro at just fifteen. Despite traveling the world, she remained committed to academics—so much so that she skipped the French Open to graduate from high school with her class. Later, after retiring from professional tennis, Chanda earned her degree from Harvard University, embodying her lifelong belief in perseverance and education. Rubin is a member of the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame and USTA’s Southern Tennis Hall of Fame, and is a respected spokesperson for her sport locally and globally. Ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in singles in 1996, Chanda competed on the biggest stages, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open, facing tennis legends such as Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Martina Hingis. She is one of the few Louisiana natives to have made it on the pro tennis circuit. Her career was defined not just by victories, but by the resilience and focus that continue to shape her success today. Chanda Rubin is a member of the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame and USTA’s Southern Tennis Hall of Fame. She captured a Grand Slam win in doubles at the Australian Open, as well as a Wimbledon Juniors singles crown at the age of 16. Chanda compiled a career singles record of 399-254 and was ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in April 1996. She ended her pro career in 2006, finishing with seven WTA singles titles and 10 doubles crowns. Chanda also served three terms on the USTA Board of Directors as an elite athlete representative and is a familiar face in tennis broadcasting, providing commentary at Grand Slam events. Chanda remains passionate about education, mentorship, and giving back to the community through motivational speaking and youth outreach. Her story reflects discipline, balance, and a deep appreciation for the lessons that sports and education impart.
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    27 分
  • Louisiana Grass Roots – A Short Documentary About Our Forgotten Prairie

    Louisiana Grass Roots – A Short Documentary About Our Forgotten Prairie
    2025/10/31
    Today we shine a spotlight on Louisiana Grass Roots, a compelling new documentary produced by Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard and directed by Jillian Godshall. This film captures the voices of everyday Louisianians working to preserve our state's environmental and cultural heritage, highlighting powerful grassroots movements shaping our future. Jillian and Phyllis join us to share the inspiration behind the documentary, the stories that moved them most, and why community-driven action matters now more than ever. This episode is also special on a personal note—Jan Swift’s daughter, Kelly, who works in the film industry at the Manship Theater, made this introduction. Even though we all live and work in the same region, this documentary brought us together in a way that highlights what community truly means in South Louisiana. About the Filmmakers – In Their Own Words Director Jillian Godshall began by expressing gratitude for the local connection that made this collaboration possible. “I am a filmmaker. I’m also an educator. I’ve been doing both for over 15 years at this point. It’s taken me all over the world. I’m really glad to be here in Lafayette doing that work as well.” Her background is deeply rooted in documentary storytelling: “My background in filmmaking is mostly in documentary filmmaking. I’ve worked on big budget, large scale reality TV show stuff—don’t tell anyone—and all the way down to where I feel most comfortable now, which is working on smaller-scale independent projects, having more of the creative leadership role, directing and being super involved in every aspect of production.” Jillian also teaches video editing to incarcerated students through an organization called The Last Mile: “I currently teach video editing to incarcerated students… and work with Phyllis, hang out with Phyllis, plant plants with Phyllis.” Producer Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard shared her deep Louisiana roots and her global experience in science education: “I’m from Lafayette originally, grew up all over the South… I got a degree from USL in zoology and then went off to graduate school in biochemistry. I came back to Louisiana and started teaching at Xavier University, and I knew then that’s what I wanted to do.” Phyllis’ work has always focused on connecting people to the land and ecology around them: “Even as a biologist and teaching university students, I always was looking for local examples and to reconnect students outside the textbook to the biology that’s in their own backyard.” She emphasized the importance of place in identity: “When I came home, I heard French, I heard the music—you can really connect to this place.” The Origin of Louisiana Grass Roots: A Story Rooted in Place, Memory, and Rediscovery Jillian and Phyllis did not come together through a traditional film industry channel; they were united through a local experience that awakened something deeper. Phyllis explains that after returning to Lafayette and connecting with the Acadiana Master Naturalist Program, she began to understand the importance of the Cajun Prairie through firsthand fieldwork. “One of the topics is about the Cajun prairie… I had learned about the prairie, and I knew about it more from when we lived in Texas, because the people in and around Houston just ooh and ah about the prairie scientists we have over here: Larry Allen, Charles Allen and Malcolm Vidrine, who discovered what they have since called the Cajun Prairie. 2.5 million acres. Most of Southwest Louisiana was part of this prairie, which only less than 1% exists today.” It was during a field trip with the Master Naturalists that she crossed paths with Jillian: “I led one of the field trips and found out that Jill was a filmmaker, and I happened to say, ‘Oh, I just finished doing a film, The Quiet Cajuns, with Conni Castille.’ And her ears perked up and she said, ‘Well, I think we should make a film about the prairie.’”
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    59 分
  • Lafayette Community Fridge – Powered by Foodies of Lafayette

    Lafayette Community Fridge – Powered by Foodies of Lafayette
    2025/10/24
    Heidi McDonald and Jason Stoner, the passionate duo behind Foodies of Lafayette and the Lafayette Community Fridge Program, join Discover Lafayette. Their mission blends a love for local restaurants with compassion for those facing food insecurity — all while promoting dignity, kindness, and connection within the Lafayette community. The Origin of Foodies of Lafayette Heidi McDonald founded Foodies of Lafayette as a Facebook group to celebrate good restaurants and people in the region, with one caveat — no negativity allowed. “I basically have two careers at this point,” she shared. “I don't think that I fully comprehended in the beginning what it could be, what that impact could be. Jason came on board early on and made me see some things that I didn't — just how it could grow, the organicness of the friendships that were happening and the power behind that.” With over 112,000 followers at the time of recording this interview (and 113,700 a week later), Foodies of Lafayette has become a true culinary movement that uplifts both local restaurants and the people who enjoy them. The Birth of the Lafayette Community Fridge The Lafayette Community Fridge Program came under Foodies’ umbrella in late 2024. Jason explained, “The Lafayette Community Fridge was started in 2021 by another group of individuals. By the end of last year, only a couple of people were left, and Erinn Quinn, reached out to us and said, ‘Hey, would you like to take this over as a Foodies thing?’” Jason admitted he felt an instant calling: “I really wanted to take this on. Heidi let me have it. I said, ‘I’ll handle most of the work, but I really want this.’ So she allowed me to have this baby, and it’s dear to me.” Through Foodies’ reputation and community reach, people came forward to help. Jason said, "One of our first needs was to collect $30 a month for the electricity at McMillan's Pub to run the utilities for the fridge. We don't want Robin to come out of her pocket. We need to provide that. We had so many people donating that $30 and they're like, how much do you need? Some would say, here's six months. That paid us through 2026.“ How the Fridge Works The Lafayette Community Fridge has two locations — at McMillan’s Pub (2905 East Simcoe) in Lafayette and T-Boy’s in Abbeville. It is open 24/7 to anyone who needs food or wishes to contribute. And it is not just food that is needed; the sites also need power, regular maintenance, and clean outs. Jason described how restaurants donate fresh, ready-to-eat meals rather than just shelf-stable goods. “There’s so much waste,” he said. “Why can’t we just be a little more efficient with organizing where it goes instead of the trash can?” He praised Toby and Joey Lagneaux, owners of Lagneaux's, for stepping up early: “We’ve got a lot of food coming off the buffet daily. Toby said, ‘Absolutely. We’ve been throwing it away. I would rather it go somewhere.’” To keep meals safe, Taylor’s International donated 6,000 three-compartment Styrofoam containers, and Seth Randall of Logic Refrigeration provided a double commercial fridge. “No one touches the food between Lagneaux’s and the fridge,” Jason emphasized. “It’s picked up and taken directly to the fridge.” Community Participation and Dignity For Heidi, the heart of the program is dignity. “It’s not less dignified to need something,” she said. “We just don’t know people’s stories. What if they’re getting it for their entire family? Or for a whole neighborhood because there’s only one vehicle? We all have the ability to give back. It’s not going to hurt us.” She continued, “Just because someone is coming and picking up a meal from the fridge doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t have anything to offer, because we can all help each other. It’s been really beautiful watching people come to pick up dinner and then realizing, ‘Oh, I have an extra can of something at home that I haven't been using...
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    50 分
  • Caroline Jurisich – Founder of The Quad, an Enrichment Center for Adults Living With Cognitive Disabilities

    Caroline Jurisich – Founder of The Quad, an Enrichment Center for Adults Living With Cognitive Disabilities
    2025/10/17
    Our guest, Dr. Caroline Jurisich, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her inspiring work with The Quad, a Lafayette-based program helping adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities continue learning, building independence, and forming meaningful social connections after leaving school. A Lifelong Passion for Education and Inclusion Originally from North Louisiana, Caroline earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from LSU and initially worked in that field. But her career path changed after she began working with students who had emotional and behavioral challenges. She went on to earn her Master’s at UL Lafayette and taught in the Lafayette Parish School System before being recruited to help develop and teach in UL LIFE, an inclusive post-secondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities. “When I started with UL LIFE in 2014, there were about 200 programs like it in the country,” she recalled. “Now, there are 364.” The program, which began as a small pilot with local students, has since expanded to 35 students from across the U.S. who live on campus, participate in university classes, and are fully integrated into campus life. As the program grew, Caroline noticed a troubling pattern: “Once these students graduated, they secured employment, but there was still a gap in opportunities for continued learning and in maintaining the skills they’d developed.” That realization led her to found The Quad in 2023. Filling the Gap After Graduation Located in the Oil Center at 1021 E St Mary Blvd., Suite A, The Quad serves adults aged 18 to 62 who have completed high school or college-based programs and are seeking continued education, social engagement, and life skills training. “I’m a big believer in building a strong foundation before branching out,” Caroline said. “We’re focused on what we call learning sessions—structured, engaging opportunities to develop practical skills without feeling like school.” The Quad offers 26 sessions a week, each about real-world abilities: Money Smarts: budgeting, banking, and financial literacy. Vocational Training: preparing for, securing, and maintaining employment. Social and Relationship Skills: navigating family, friendship, and workplace dynamics. Independent Living Skills: cooking, meal planning, grocery budgeting, and household management in their full kitchen lab. Each session is small and tailored. “We want to make sure it’s meaningful for every individual,” she said. “Independence doesn’t necessarily mean doing it all by yourself—it means knowing when to ask for help, knowing your strengths, and building on both.” The Quad also emphasizes community engagement. Members participate in service projects such as filling the Lafayette Community Fridge, supporting Second Harvest, and organizing toy drives. “We remind our members that to be an active, engaged part of your community, you also have to give back,” Caroline said. Creating Belonging and Connection Social isolation after leaving school is a major challenge for adults with disabilities. Caroline has seen firsthand how The Quad helps bridge that gap. “There’s so much research on the impact of isolation—higher rates of depression and anxiety once individuals leave school,” she explained. “At The Quad, they have a space for connection, shared experiences, and casual practice of social skills.” Each Friday, The Quad hosts Happy Hour—a relaxed afternoon where members gather for games, conversation, and community. “Some play air hockey, some just hang out. For many, weekends can be isolating, so this helps fill that gap with friendship and laughter.” Members often form their own social groups. “We’ve had young men who didn’t know each other before The Quad but now meet regularly to play cards or go out to lunch together. That’s huge.” A Member-Focused Community
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    44 分
  • Fabian Patin – Committed to Preservation and Beautification of Rotary Point

    Fabian Patin – Committed to Preservation and Beautification of Rotary Point
    2025/10/10
    Fabian Patin, a Lafayette architect whose name has become synonymous with the preservation and beautification of Rotary Point, a peaceful sanctuary on the Bayou Vermilion, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his decades-long dedication to Lafayette’s waterways and the enduring spirit of civic service that drives the Rotary Club of Lafayette. He has been a loyal member of the club for decades. Origins of Rotary Point and the Bayou Vermilion Revival Rotary Point came to life in the 1980s through a partnership among the Rotary Clubs of Lafayette, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and the creation of Bayou Vermilion District. At the time, Lafayette was in the throes of the oil bust, and the once-vibrant bayou had fallen into neglect and pollution. Patin recalled how his colleague, attorney, Bob Cole, then Lafayette Chamber president, looked beyond the downturn: “Rather than worrying about it, Bob said, let’s do some things to improve it. We’ve got a bayou; it’s not the best one now, but it can be.” Cole’s optimism led to the creation of a master plan for the Vermilion River. Half the funding came from private citizens and companies, the other half from the City of Lafayette. That plan inspired state legislation to create the Bayou Vermilion District, a nine-member commission—of which Fabian was an original commissioner—charged with implementing restoration and access projects. To secure federal funding under the Dingell-Johnson Act, Lafayette needed a 20 percent local match. Fabian and local leaders convinced the Parish Council to contribute the unused 400-foot right-of-way from West Bayou Parkway to the Vermilion as the local match. The federal funds, championed by then U.S. Senator John Breaux, completed the financing. Fabian recalled, "If you give us the right to use that land for our 20 percent match, that can be our 20 percent—and it worked.” How Rotary Point Got Its Name Initially conceived as a simple boat launch, the site evolved when Fabian—active in both the Bayou Vermilion District and Rotary—saw an opportunity: “If I can go to our Rotary Clubs and say, look, if we call it Rotary Point, I think I can get our clubs to pay for the overlook.” That promise birthed Rotary Point, with local Rotary Clubs funding the overlook while the Bayou Vermilion District handled access improvements. It became one of the first public boat launches on the Vermilion and a shared symbol of civic collaboration. Stewardship and Beautification Through the years, the Bayou Vermilion District has continued major maintenance—most notably replacing the aging wooden bulkhead with steel reinforcements—while the Rotary Club of Lafayette maintains and beautifies the grounds. Fabian, now 81 years of age, can still be found there almost every day: mowing, planting, spreading mulch, or supervising upgrades. The site now features benches, picnic tables, irrigation, flowering azaleas, and majestic live oaks—many planted to honor international Rotary presidents. Fabian explained how community partnerships brought the space to life: Azalea Trail volunteers donated 35 azaleas. Trees Acadiana, led by Sarah Schoeffler, provided and planted dozens of plants and live oaks. Compost from Lafayette Parish enriched the soil, coordinated by Rotarian Stan Messenger, who negotiated increased deliveries of mulch and soil for the park. Dr. Jim Rees established a Peace Pole inscribed in eight languages reading “May peace prevail on Earth.” Centennial Monument and the Sugar Mill Gears In 2020, to commemorate the Rotary Club of Lafayette’s 100th anniversary, Fabian spearheaded the construction of a striking centennial monument. The centerpiece: enormous gears salvaged from historic sugar mills, a visual echo of Rotary’s gear-wheel emblem. “We poured concrete on site. Rotarians learned how to pour concrete.” Despite an initial $100,000 goal reduced by COVID-era constraints to $18,
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    45 分
  • Graze Acadiana’s Amanda Osgood & Tracy Lindberg

    Graze Acadiana’s Amanda Osgood & Tracy Lindberg
    2025/10/03
    Amanda ("Mandy") Osgood and Tracy Lindberg of Graze Acadiana join Discover Lafayette to discuss their love of creating beautiful food presentations and what it is like to open your own small business. A mother–daughter team who have brought the art of grazing to Lafayette since 2019, this episode is presented in partnership with Lafayette Travel and Eat Lafayette as we spotlight locally owned restaurants and eateries. Located at 113 Arnould Boulevard in Lafayette, Graze Acadiana was built upon the Australian concept of gather and graze, which connects people with beautiful, high-quality food and creating shared experiences around the table. Building a Business Together Mandy reflected on what it means to run a business with her mom: “We spend every single day together and call each other a million times. Building this business together brought us closer. And we just have a really close friendship. So it’s been great. And being business partners, I know a lot of people can’t manage that with family, but it’s been really good for us.” The two are originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. “We’re both actually from the Gulf Coast in Mississippi, the Biloxi/Ocean Springs area. And we moved here… Mom moved here about 15 years ago, and I moved here about 13 years ago,” Mandy explained. “I had my first child and she needed to be closer to her grandson. So here we are.” Mandy Osgood and Tracy Lindberg, owners of Graze Acadiana They quickly felt at home. “We fell in love with Lafayette. It’s just so family oriented. Family friendly. Of course, the food’s wonderful and the people are wonderful. And so it was really a place that I wanted to raise my family and wanted to be closer to." Mandy describes herself as “the creative one” while Tracy brings her restaurant management background and entrepreneurial mindset. “We both love entertaining. We love gathering people together and just making beauty out of simple things,” Mandy added. The Early Days of Grazing Before “charcuterie” was a household word, Tracy and Mandy were already creating lavish spreads. “Back in the day, friends and family would have us do weddings and birthdays and stuff like that. We used to make these massive grazing spreads. We didn’t even know they were called that at the time. We put gorgeous food on the table.” In 2018, they saw the grazing trend explode in Australia. “There were about five places in the entire United States that were doing the grazing thing at that time. Like big cities—Austin, New York. My mom was like, let’s do it.” From the start, they chose to run things professionally. “So from day one, we started in a commercial kitchen. We didn’t do it out of our house,” Mandy explained. But that came with hurdles. Tracy recalled: “What really surprised me… was when we went down to the health department and found out that we had to have the commercial kitchen, and then we had to have a grease trap. Normally people make things at home, but incorporating this in the way we wanted to do it—right or not do it at all—cost tens of thousands of dollars.” Mandy added: “I don’t think any of us knew that we were going to know this much about a grease trap at this point in our lives. My mom scoured plumbing department rules and laws… because grazing was such a new concept. There were no set standards for that. We had to figure all that out.” Surviving COVID By 2019, Graze Acadiana had opened its first storefront off Kaliste Saloom Road. “Things were booming and going and we were growing… educating people what the charcuterie world was about because it just wasn’t that popular here,” Amanda recalled. Then the pandemic hit. Their tagline had been “Gathering Grapes.” Amanda laughed: “And Covid said, no, you don’t. So we had to start changing our concept and work with that.” They shifted from large spreads to individual options. “We started doing petite boxes,
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    38 分