2012 Chefs to Watch – Ryan André

CHEF RYAN ANDRE

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

“Six months into my first job at J. Alexander’s in Baton Rouge, I got ‘Chef’ tattooed on my arm. Right there, I knew what I’d be doing for the rest of my life,” says Chef Ryan André of Le Creolé.

Twenty-one years old at the time, the Gonzales native knew he had to follow his passion. Ryan came from a family of cooks and took great joy in cooking and eating at a young age. “My Dad did the gumbos, and my mom made sauce piquants and chicken spaghettis, so I was exposed to a few of Louisiana’s different cultures.”

His love of cooking led him to work at a few restaurants around Baton Rouge and to study at the Louisiana Culinary Institute, where he excelled. Ryan was then recruited by Executive Chef Tory McPhail to work in the famed New Orleans institution Commander’s Palace. It was there that Ryan began developing his personal style, which incorporates French, Italian, and Southern elements.

“From kitchen efficiency to plating and brightly colored garnishes, I brought almost everything I learned from Chef McPhail to my kitchen at Le Creolé,” says Ryan. “He is very patient and has been a great mentor.”

Ryan’s dishes range from down-home (Crispy Fried Chicken with Sweet Potato Waffles) to classic (New Orleans-style Barbecue Shrimp served with Leidenheimer French bread) and contemporary (Crispy Boudin Spring Rolls), but all are executed with style and panache. His staff of white-jacketed servers present the dishes with just enough ceremony.

“The combination of cultures is what makes Louisiana so unique,” he says. “At some point in the future, I think I’d like to move away and help other people experience [/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][the food and culture] I grew up with here.”
[fusion_builder_row_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”1_2″ last=”no” class=”” id=””]

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

[/fusion_builder_column_inner]
[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”yes” class=”” id=””]

[/fusion_builder_column]

 Click to meet the 2012 Chefs to Watch

[fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” class=”” id=””]

[/fusion_builder_column]
[fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” class=”” id=””]

[/fusion_builder_column]
[fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”yes” class=”” id=””]

[/fusion_builder_column]

photography by Sara Essex Bradley[/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]