It’s Acadiana: Out To Lunch

Hosted ByChristiaan Mader

OUT TO LUNCH finds journalist Christiaan Mader conducting business Acadiana style: over lunch. Each week Christiaan invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

Tales of Evangeline – Out to Lunch – It’s Acadiana

August 2, 2017 Out To Lunch Comments Off on Tales of Evangeline – Out to Lunch – It’s Acadiana

The legend of Evangeline is the Cajun Romeo and Juliet. It’s a story that captures the essence of the Acadiens experience. And it’s as romantic as any ever told. 

The story of Evangeline Parish is equally essentially Cajun. It might be a little more down to earth than the eternal search for love. But then again, if that search includes the love of boudin and cracklin’ –  some folks can be as determined as Evangeline herself.

Just ask T-Boy Berzas.

T-Boy

T-Boy is the owner of T-Boy’s Boudin and Cracklins, T-Boy’s Slaughterhouse and Meat Market, and T-Boy’s Cajun Seasonings. T-Boy is  based in Mamou Louisiana. But for those of you listening outside of Evangeline Parish, you can also find T-Boy’s meats at T-Boy’s Boudin Online. 

Once you’ve got your meat, one of our favorite methods of preparing it is barbecue. Over 70% of American homes have a grill. Which means around 200 million Americans enjoy barbecue. Now that’s a huge market. And not just for meat. What’s a barbecue without barbecue sauce? One of Louisiana’s best known and oldest barbecue sauces is from Evangeline Parish.

Kermit Miller, Peter Ricchiuti

Jack Miller’s Barbecue Sauce started out in 1941 at Jack Miller’s American Inn restaurant in Ville Platte. In 1955 Jack Miller bottled his restaurant’s sauce and it soon found its way into stores across the state – and beyond the borders of Louisiana. Today, Jack Miller’s Barbecue Sauce is still made in Ville Platte by members of Jack’s family, headed up by his son, Kermit.

peter ricchiuti, Tojo Ward

There’s not enough time on one show to meet all the great business people in Evangeline Parish – in fact we couldn’t even fit them all into the extremely spacious room at Café V – but we can do the next best thing and that is introduce you to Tojo Ward. His real name is Dr William Ward, but everybody calls him Tojo.

Tojo is the Chairman of the Evangeline Parish Industrial Board – the Evangeline Parish organization that fosters economic development. 

This is a fun and informative conversation with three quintessential Cajuns who, as Peter Ricciuti says on this show, are as fascinating and successful in their own world as any entrepreneurs anywhere from Silicon Valley to Shanghai.

Tojo Ward, T-Boy, Blake the fabulous waiter, Kermit Miller, Peter Ricchiuti

Photos at Cafe Vermilionville by Gwen Aucoin.

 

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