French Cuisine in Acadiana

World-renowned French cuisine is almost entirely the product of one man, Auguste Escoffier, who in the 19th century invented many of the dishes associated with what we know as haute cuisine, the brigade system that divides tasks in the kitchen and, with César Ritz, the concept of luxury hotels. Do you like peach Melba, Belle Hélène pear or crêpe Suzette? These are all desserts invented by Escoffier in honor of celebrities of the time. Have you ever worked as a chef, sous chef or even a dishwasher in a restaurant? Thank you, Mr. Escoffier. And even today, the word Ritz is synonymous with the highest possible quality. It is no coincidence that we say “ritzy” in English for “fancy.”

On our side of the ocean, of the influences that have contributed to our rich culinary tradition in Acadiana, that of France is not, contrary to what one might think, the most important one. Admittedly, the roux that is literally the base of many of our dishes is of French origin. Paradoxically, it was Escoffier who eliminated flour from his recipes in favor of broths and meat reductions. But for the rest, the flavors from Africa and the Caribbean have largely contributed to Cajun and Creole cuisines. Even the famous French mirepoix made of onion, celery and carrot finds itself transformed into the Louisiana Holy Trinity with the replacement of the latter by the bell pepper, or sweet pepper, native to the Americas. Good thing, too, because I would have trouble digesting a gumbo with carrots floating in it.

While in New Orleans can be found several restaurants that carry on the old tradition of French cuisine, in Acadiana, the heart of French-speaking and Francophile Louisiana, authentically French restaurants are rare. Jane’s French Cuisine, as the name suggests, in Lafayette and La Truffe Sauvage, or the Wild Truffle, in Lake Charles offer French dishes in a setting that is not too far off from what you would find in a quality restaurant in France.

In a small corner hidden among offices and tennis courts, La Truffe Sauvage offers an authentic experience. Chef Mohamed Chettouh worked at the Ritz-Carleton in Houston. Of Algerian origin, he began his career in Oran where he rose through the ranks of the brigade. Like Louisiana, a former French colony, Algeria has a strong French influence, too. With his partner Arthur Durham, they opened La Truffe Sauvage in October of 1998. Beef consommé, onion soup, veal with saffron rice, red snapper with crab meat and a Grand Marnier soufflé are among dishes offered. Jane’s French Cuisine, established since 2019 in the former French furniture store run by chef William Baxter’s grandmother, offers classics such as rabbit with mustard, bouillabaisse, and foie gras. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Baxter is, along with Chettouh, one of Escoffier’s heirs.