Cinclare Bar & Table’s Shrimp Boil Butter Recipe

Much like beginning musicians learn by imitating the music and style of musical masters of the craft, chefs learn at the knees of family members and under the tutelage of expert cooks, chefs and culinary school instructors — or sometimes from all of the above. The similarities between music and cooking don’t end there, to the tune that often, people who work in the back of the house at a restaurant also play music.

“During my time cooking, I have always been fascinated with the number of musicians that eventually find themselves in kitchens,” says Chef Logan Boudreaux, executive chef at the Thibodaux fine dining hub Cinclare Bar & Table and adjunct teacher at the nearby Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. Boudreaux would know, because he pursued music before choosing to go to culinary school and continues to play guitar in his spare time. “It’s a common transition, surprisingly.”

Throughout high school in Lockport, Boudreaux played with bands, often taking gigs in bars (with permission slips from his parents) and says he dreamed of studying guitar theory at Berkeley or MIT. “My interests in life have always revolved around the arts,” says Boudreaux. “Whether it be music or painting, cooking or even literature, I knew I wanted to do something with my hands in a creative interpretation. This is why I decided to become a chef.”

Boudreaux’s desire for a creative career and passion for precision and excellence led him to attend CJFCI and work everywhere from country club kitchens and mom-and-pop joints on Bayou Lafourche to Luke in New Orleans and at Institut Lyfe (formerly Institut Paul Bocuse) in Lyon, France training with Michelin-starred chefs.

In 2018, after two years spent helping open Cinclare and working there as a cook while finishing his degree at CJFCI, Boudreaux was offered the position of executive chef.  “As a kitchen, we like to keep it simple, let the ingredients shine for themselves, not only honoring the ingredient itself but [also] honoring the farmers and cultivators that see the same beauty in their product,” says Boudreaux. “On any given night, there is an invisible connectivity between my plates and guests that come in to dine … I am the worst at small talk, but love having conversations of depth surrounding food, art and music. It’s my way to connect with people.”

Shrimp Boil Butter

“This is a very simple and delicious compound butter we use at the restaurant,” says Boudreaux. “Whether slathered onto fresh toasted sourdough bread or placed on a piece of broiled fish, the uses for the butter are endless and personal to the home cook.”

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Yields: eight 2-oz. servings

1 pound butter, softened
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1½ tablespoons dried shrimp powder
2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, picked
1 tablespoon parsley, minced

1. Remove butter from refrigerator and set aside to bring to room temperature.
2. Place dried shrimp in spice grinder or blender and blend into powder. Combine shrimp powder with butter and remaining ingredients and mix to combine. If using a Cajun seasoning heavy in salt, season the butter with kosher salt until preferable to your taste.
3. Store in an airtight container and place in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Use the butter on anything that sounds appealing: broiled fish, chargrilled oysters, sliced bread.

illustration by S. E. George

Meet the Chef: Logan Boudreaux

Hometown: Born in Raceland, Louisiana; raised in Venezuela and Lockport, Louisiana

Most meaningful item in kitchen: My collection of knives is invaluable to me, but I cannot do without our selection of local ingredients that make the most of our dishes.

Fav music to cook by: It depends on the mood of the cooking. If I’m in a rush, I usually put on some hard rock or funk. If we’re in a relaxed mood and can cook at our own pace, it’s not uncommon to hear R&B or yacht rock coming from the kitchen.

Cinclare Bar & Table
601 W. 3rd St.
Thibodaux
cinclarefoodanddrink.com
@Cinclare • @cinclare_restaurant