In 2002, Louisiana Cookin’ announced its first-ever class of Chefs to Watch. In the two decades that have followed, we have seen new generations of chefs carry on Louisiana’s time-honored traditions while bringing fresh perspectives to the forefront of the state’s vibrant culinary scene. Like those before them, the six chefs who make up our 2021 class of Chefs to Watch are exceptionally talented individuals from diverse backgrounds who are leaving a mark on their communities. These are chefs we believe will continue to enrich Louisiana’s dining scene and shape the future of Cajun and Creole cuisine with new ideas and influences.
This year’s Chefs to Watch lineup includes Melissa Araujo of Alma, who’s dishing out modern Honduran cuisine in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood; Anthony Goldsmith of Kajun Twist in Galliano and Kajun Twist & Grill in Lockport, who’s continuing his family’s culinary legacy and preserving Cajun cuisine for the next generation; Kaitlin Guerin of Lagniappe Baking Co. in New Orleans, a professional ballerina turned pastry chef who is dreaming up artfully crafted pastries; Serigne Mbaye, who is showcasing the flavors of Senegal with a Creole twist through his Dakar Nola pop-up; Thien Nguyen of Soji in Baton Rouge, a New Orleans native who is putting his own spin on the Vietnamese dishes he grew up eating; and Sullivan Zant, who brings his passion for local sourcing and seasonal cooking to Vestal in Lafayette.
SULLIVAN ZANT
Vestal Restaurant
As chef de cuisine at Vestal Restaurant, Sullivan Zant is dedicated to sourcing quality ingredients and presenting new versions of the cuisine he was raised on in south Louisiana.
“Where we are in the heart of Cajun Country, everybody’s used to rice and gravy, some form of it,” Sullivan says. “And don’t get me wrong—I love it. But … I want to take all these ingredients and all these things that
