Lula’s Louisiana Cookhouse: The Recipes That Put Us on the Map

By Chef John Beilfuss

Lula's Louisiana Cookhouse was the multi award winning destination restaurant in the quaint town of Owosso, Mi from 2013 to 2021 when it was destroyed by fire. Best Restaurant in Michigan, Michigan's Best Fried Chicken, Best Fried Chicken in America, Best Bar in Detroit, Best Food, Best Service...the awards went on and on! Here are the long-awaited recipes from Executive Chef John Beilfuss that put Lula's on the map! Chef John says, "Now you can enjoy the great food from Lula's in the comfort of your own home! Even if you never made it to Lula's, please enjoy Lula's distinctive Creole Cajun and World cuisine with my easy-to-follow instructions. Crawfish Etouffee, Shrimp Creole, America's Best Fried Chicken, Crawfish with Cajun Lobster Sauce, they are all here as well as Charcuterie and BBQ! I am thrilled to share my lifetime of cooking with you!"

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9781665576826

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2023 Chef John Beilfuss. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-6655-7683-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-7684-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-7682-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022922301

Published by AuthorHouse 12/30/2022

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Lula’s Louisiana Cookhouse

The Recipes That Put Us on the Map

By Chef John Beilfuss

Lula’s Louisiana Cookhouse Est. 2013

In 2012 my wife Morgan and I started the project that would become Lula’s Louisiana Cookhouse in the small town of Owosso, MI. Having been a cook for my entire adult life, and a total food nerd, I had expertise in many cuisines from around the world, New Orleans being one. For our restaurant venture we settled on the theme of New Orleans, as my family was from the south, and I could sneak in food from around the world under the umbrella of New Orleans cuisine.

Many, if not most, thought we were crazy to open a Creole restaurant in this small Mid-Michigan town. They were right!

Lula’s and Lily Pearl’s 2013 - 2021

We bought the building that became Lula’s in late 2012, immediately after my audition for the Master Chef television show. My success in the auditions gave me the confidence to move forward with our restaurant dream. Ultimately, I didn’t get on the show, but it was the catalyst that made it all happen!

For 6 months I cleaned up the old place I’d bought, perfected old recipes and created new, hired a staff and trained them to execute my dishes.

We opened the last week of May 2013 to rave reviews. I must say we nailed the opening!

Lula’s and Lily Pearl’s 2013 - 2021

Within a few months tripadvisor.com had us rated as the #1 restaurant in the area. Things were going very well, and we continued to grow every year.

In 2016 we were named Best Fried Chicken in Michigan by MLive, a large newspaper and media conglomerate in Michigan, then Best Fried Chicken in America by EatThisNotThat a large national internet media outlet.

To say this changed everything would be a colossal understatement! We went from selling 15 Chicken Dinners on a Friday night to 200 a day every day! From there to the end, we were reservation only and always packed!

Lula’s and Lily Pearl’s 2013 - 2021

In 2017 we added a liquor license and expanded into an adjoining space, opening Lily Pearl’s Lounge with additional dining, a craft cocktail bar, and a live Jazz stage 3 nights a week.

Again, we were overwhelmed with the response, being named Best Restaurant in Detroit by Open Table (we’re 70 miles from Detroit), Best Hot Spot in Detroit, Best Food, Best Service and many other incredible awards!

We closed the doors for 16 months due to Covid and re-opened the end of July 2021. I had new dishes and all the old favorites. We were thrilled to be back open and packed all the time again!

Early Tuesday morning December 22, 2021, while sleeping I received a call from central dispatch that the restaurant was on fire. We rushed down to see, and within a short time realized it was a total loss. Lula’s was simply gone, and Lily Pearl’s was severely smoke, and water damaged. The investigators ruled it an electrical fire.

Lula’s and Lily Pearl’s 2013 - 2021

This was the abrupt end to our restaurant adventure.

I am forever grateful to the generous, and wonderful customers we enjoyed throughout the years. How much fun we had serving you and getting to know you!

I am grateful to the fantastic musicians that drove all the way to Owosso to adorn our stage, sometimes driving hundreds of miles to do so. I was in awe that the level of stars that we had the pleasure of getting to know and befriend.

Most of all I am grateful for the incredible kids (at my age everyone’s a kid to me) that with their hard work and smarts made Lula’s and Lily Pearl’s happen every day! Thank you to the kitchen staff, bar staff, servers, hosts and bussers, without whom we would have never been able to pull this off!

Contents

Appetizers and Sides

Crispy Fried Avocado

Lula Fries!

Aunt Violet’s Green Beans

Smoked Catfish Dip

Smoked Catfish

Calamari

Crawfish Boulettes

Lula’s Redskin Creole Potato Salad

NOLA Seafood Dip

Shrimp Remoulade

Lula’s Famous Hushpuppies

Jingle Balls

Lula’s Red Bell Pepper Dip

Buster’s BBQ Shrimp

Dressings and Sauces

Greek Salad Dressing

Fresh Herb Ranch Dressing

Santa Fe Ranch

Lula’s Creole Vinaigrette

Blue Cheese

Thousand Island

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Creole Mayonnaise

Remoulade

Creole Horseradish Sauce

Hollandaise

Bacon Hollandaise

Creole Mustard Sauce

Chef’s Shrimp/Crawfish Sauce Supreme

Tsatziki

Soups

Creole Tomato Soup

Spanish Fisherman’s Stew

Vichyssoise

Chicken, Andouille and Okra Gumbo

Oyster Stew

Bread

Po’ Boy Bread 1 large Loaf

Cornbread

Garlic Croutons

Creole/Cajun Classics

If you are cooking New Orleans Style you’ve got to make a Roux!