92 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015
Only in Louisiana is fishing and cooking so closely intertwined.
More often than not, anglers take as much pride in their skills in
the kitchen as on the water.
Maybe it’s because we catch so many fish here. Maybe it’s our
camp culture, in which everyone cooks.
On the other hand, successful Louisiana chefs have forsaken
cooking careers to become charter fishing guides. A much larger
number of chefs fish every moment they aren’t in the kitchen.
Dustie Latiolais is one of the latter.
Although the full-blooded Cajun grew up in the heart of Aca-
diana, where hunting and fishing is part of a man’s pedigree, his
cooking credentials are impeccable. He has competed in five
Acadiana Culinary Classics, the largest culinary competition on
the Gulf Coast, with the largest best-of-show purse ($10,000). He
won as a student while attending the Louisiana Culinary Institute
in Baton Rouge.
In 2013, he was invited to compete to represent the state in
the prestigious Great American Seafood Cook Off. On April 7,
Latiolais will be one of 30 participants in the American Culinary
Federation — Louisiana Chapter’s The Best Chefs of Louisiana: A
Culinary Experience.Butte La RoseThe fishing chef
Channel catfish, which Latiolais handled with ease in spite of
their spines, is never a disappointment to this angler.Each participant must cook 300 portions. The public who have
purchased tickets get to taste what they prepare. Money raised
goes to charity.
But it is incorrect to assume that being executive chef in a sea-
food restaurant would result in his being “burnt out” on seafood.
“I don’t get tired of fish,” Latiolais said. “I do fish fries at home with
all the fish I catch.”
Apparently, he doesn’t tire of fishing, either. He had just returned
from a kayak fishing vacation with his wife and son in the Key
Largo, Fla., area.
“We caught about 25 mangrove snappers,” Latiolais said. “We
had to throw a lot of them back — too small.”
The disappointment in his voice was obvious.
“I caught a crevalle. Did I say that right? It doesn’t taste good,
but it pulls hard,” he said. “They have a lot of redfish, but they
don’t fish for them like we do: Everyone that charters a boat goes
for tarpon.
“You can’t even eat that — if I’m going to spend my money, I
want to catch something I can eat.”
Yeah — he’s a Cajun. ■1501 General Mouton • Lafayette, LA 70501
337-235-5761 • http://www.thepropshopincla.com- A uthorized Mercury Parts and Service Dealer
- Service on all brands of outboard engines
- Sales and installation of Marine and Boat accessories
- Boat and trailer parts and repair
- Dealer for Xtreme boats Powered by
Mercury Outboards
We Do More Than Just
Repair and Sell Props
Best Time of
the Year to get
your boat ready
for Fishing
Season!!Black’s Outdoor & Marine LLC
(337) 233-4272 • (337) 233-65851423 NW Evangeline Thwy. • Lafayette, LA 70501Ranger Boats
Now Available
Other MOdels
In stOck!