Foodies Of Lafayette Podcast

Foodies Of Lafayette
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Food

Welcome to the official podcast of Foodies of Lafayette—where flavor meets community! Hosted by founder Heidi McDonald and partner Jason Stoner, each episode brings you inside the kitchens, stories, and lives of the people who make Lafayette’s culinary scene unforgettable. From behind-the-scenes chats with local chefs and restaurant owners to stories of food-driven charity, culture, and celebration, this is where Acadiana's food spirit comes to life—one delicious conversation at a time.

  1. 5d ago

    How Sunday's Soda Fountain Turned History Into A Modern Hangout

    A lot of restaurant stories start with a menu. Ours starts with a building, a chipped tile floor, and a stranger who walks by and says, “That used to be the old soda fountain.” We’re sitting down with Mike and Setareh Delcambre inside Sunday Soda Fountain in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, and they take us through the real behind-the-scenes journey of bringing historic spaces back to life without sanding off what made them special in the first place. We talk about Mike’s early leap into creating 307 Jazz Club, the “trial by fire” moment of suddenly leading a team in his 20s, and how a passion for music and design shaped a venue that drew touring musicians. From there, the story keeps expanding: The Green Room’s sustainability roots, the realities of operating bars and restaurants, and the way real estate investing can become a tool for downtown revitalization when you’re willing to bet on underloved blocks. Then we get into what makes Sunday Soda Fountain so unique: the research into soda fountain history, prohibition-era influences, and why counter service, house-made sodas, and a smart alcohol program actually fit together. Mike and Setareh also share the tough operational pivots that changed everything, including the move from quick service to table service and scaling days back to protect the guest experience. If you love adaptive reuse, historic restoration, and the craft of building community-centered places, this conversation is for you. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, then share this with a friend who loves downtown Lafayette, and leave a review with your favorite thing to order at Sunday. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    50 min

  2. Jun 3

    Jan Scott Richard Turns Community Into A Plan

    A mayor who still keeps a hand in the restaurant? That combination sounds impossible until you meet Jan Scott Richard, the Mayor of Scott, Louisiana and the owner of Cajan's. Sitting down at Sunday Soda Fountain, we follow the path from growing up in Scott to chasing soccer all the way to Milwaukee and Tallahassee, then returning home with a clearer idea of what a strong community can look like. We dig into the real-life mechanics of building a local restaurant in the middle of the Acadiana food scene: taking what worked from a deli background, adapting it to Cajun culture, and protecting traditions like a 1942 chili recipe that lives on through the Original Scott Boudin hot dog. Jan also explains why Cajan's thrives as a Monday through Friday breakfast and lunch spot and how staying present with regular customers keeps the place grounded. From there, the conversation turns to local leadership, transparency, and why he believes local politics should be where politics starts and ends. We talk flood history and flood mitigation, including practical drainage work like channel cleaning, culverts, and roadside ditches, plus a standout public-private partnership that helped create a major retention pond and public amenity in record time. We also get into soccer coaching, raising kids who want to lead in their own way, and the behind-the-scenes story of how Boudin Fest grew into a regional attraction after Scott earned the “Boudin Capital of the World” designation. If you care about Scott Louisiana, Lafayette culture, Cajun food, small business, community leadership, drainage solutions, or Boudin Fest, this one connects it all. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, share this with a friend who loves Acadiana, and leave a review telling us what topic you want next. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    41 min

  3. May 27

    The Restaurant That Changed Lafayette: Ep. 2

    A 94-year run doesn’t happen by accident, and it definitely doesn’t happen by cutting corners. We’re sitting down at Poor Boy's Riverside Inn in Lafayette with Richard and Lori Hurst to hear what it takes to carry a multi-generation Louisiana restaurant forward while keeping the food, the service, and the standards consistent enough that regulars can taste the difference the second a recipe slips. Along the way, we get the kind of stories you only hear from people who’ve lived it, like training across every role, the old-school days of expanding to multiple locations, and the unforgettable origin of the first lobster tank in Lafayette.  We also dig into what makes this place feel like home to so many families in Acadiana: scratch-made cooking, a serious seafood program, and menu items with real history behind them. We talk flounder on the bone, Crab Meat Imperial, stuffed redfish, and the philosophy that great drinks deserve as much attention as great food, right down to house-made mixers and a gentle push to put the phones away and actually talk at the table. If you care about Cajun food, Creole influence, and the craft behind “best seafood in Lafayette” searches, this conversation is for you.  Then it gets real. We unpack how Hurricane Katrina and COVID changed supply chains, pricing, staffing, hours, and the day-to-day stress of keeping the lights on, plus why catering and private events became a key survival pivot. We also talk about social media reviews and the human impact of online negativity, and why we’d rather you tell your server and let us fix it than save it for later behind a keyboard. If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves local Louisiana restaurants, and leave a review so more people can find us. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    59 min

  4. May 20

    The Restaurant That Changed Lafayette: Ep. 1

    A single lunch can change a city’s palate, and that’s exactly where this story starts. We’re at Poor Boy's Riverside Inn with Richard and Lori Hurst, chasing the real origin of a Lafayette restaurant that feels stitched into Acadiana itself. From a grandfather selling snowballs downtown in the 1930s to a po-boy that made customers stop and ask “what is that,” the early years are pure Louisiana hustle, built on big breakfasts, bigger workdays, and a stubborn belief that people will follow quality. We walk through the pivotal moves, including the St John Street beginning and the Pinhook years where a drawbridge and the river shaped daily life. Then we get into the kind of local history you don’t find on a menu: floods that force hard decisions, the moment Riverside becomes the first air conditioned restaurant in Acadiana, and how that comfort turned the dining room into a gathering place for students and regulars. Along the way, we talk New Orleans inspired classics like Crab Imperial and Oysters Rockefeller, plus the family rule that consistency is everything. And yes, we go straight at the legend: redfish. Back when many Lafayette diners saw it as “trash fish,” Larry Hearst found a way to sell it, win people over, and help redefine what Gulf seafood could be here. We also tease the blackening story, swap memories about growing up inside the restaurant, and share the unexpected George Rodrigue connection that still lives on through Riverside’s kids’ menu art. Subscribe, share this with a fellow food lover, and leave a review if you want more deep dives into the people and places that made Lafayette dining what it is today. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    41 min

  5. May 13

    How Frank Randol Kept Cajun Culture Dancing: Ep. 2

    Some places feed you. Others hold your whole history. Sitting at Randall’s with Heidi McDonald and Jason Stoner, we talk about why this room feels like “hallowed ground” for so many people across Acadiana, and how Cajun food and live music can turn a restaurant into a cultural anchor for Lafayette, Breaux Bridge, and beyond. We dig into the hard part too: when COVID shut things down and the music stopped, it wasn’t just a business problem, it was an identity problem. Frank Randall shares what it takes to restart without losing the heart of the place, why he stays focused on food and music, and how trust and reputation create the “oof” a comeback needs. Along the way, we talk about a growing national awareness of Cajun cuisine versus Creole cuisine, and why that distinction matters for preserving authentic Louisiana culture. Then we bring in the people who actually make it run. Jimmy shares his path from starting at 17 as a busboy and dishwasher to leading operations for decades, plus the lessons that keep teams together when times get rough. We also zoom out with a Breaux Bridge tourism perspective: Crawfish Festival season, where visitors eat, how Zydeco stays alive, and what it looks like when a town fights to protect its historic bridge and its story. If you care about Louisiana restaurants, Cajun seafood, live music, and the kind of community that shows up for each other, you’ll feel right at home here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves Acadiana, and leave a review so more people can find the stories behind the food. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    34 min

  6. May 6

    How Frank Randol Kept Cajun Culture Dancing: Ep. 1

    He flew crabs across the country, built dance floors people would tear up with crowbars, and kept Cajun culture loud when it would have been easier to let it fade. We’re on location at Mulate’s with the legend Frank Randol, following the threads that connect Randol's Restaurant, Breaux Bridge, Lafayette Louisiana food, and the stubborn pride of Acadiana. We talk through Frank’s family history and the weight that comes with land, legacy, and community expectations. He shares why “saving” places like this is never just business, it is about preserving Cajun music, local stories, and the kind of nights where kids learn to dance beside their parents. Along the way, we get honest about loss, military service during the draft, and the way faith, family, and friends become a compass when life forces a pivot. Then the stories turn wild in the best South Louisiana way: the crabbing boom, building a seafood operation, and the logistics of moving fresh Louisiana seafood to markets that could not get it any other way. Frank breaks down how the “Louisiana Crab Special” worked, including the now-iconic moment of balancing a plane with thousands of pounds of crabs. We also dig into how Randall’s grew from a simple need into a cultural landmark, plus the Cajun Fest push to put Acadiana on the national stage. Hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend who loves Cajun food and culture, and leave us a review with the local spot you never want to lose. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    48 min

  7. Apr 29

    How A Greek Immigrant Built A Lafayette Favorite

    He moved to Lafayette because he looked at a US map and thought he was landing near the Bahamas. That one mistake turned into Poseidon, one of the most beloved Greek and Mediterranean restaurants in Lafayette, Louisiana and a place where generations celebrate birthdays, lunches, and late-night stories. We sit down with Aristos of Poseidon to hear how he came from the island of Cyprus, studied at USL, and built a restaurant around family recipes, Greek hospitality, and relentless attention to detail. We talk about the culture shock of Holly Beach, why philoxenia (welcoming strangers) feels so at home in Cajun country, and how a “meal” becomes an experience when you slow down and share the table. Then we get into what serious restaurant ownership really looks like: shopping for fresh ingredients every morning, training a team to hit the same standard every day, and keeping regulars happy while still having fun with off-menu specials like slow-cooked lamb kleftiko and other chef-driven cravings. Aristos also shares his straight talk on COVID, staffing, and why being boldly yourself on social media can be the best marketing a local restaurant has. If you love Lafayette food, authentic Greek cooking, and behind-the-scenes stories from a real kitchen, this one’s for you. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, share with a foodie friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    34 min

  8. Apr 22

    From Franchise Systems To Chef Creativity In Lafayette

    Ronald McDonald showed up at Mark Krampe’s birthday parties at home and that’s only the beginning of how unusual his food story gets. We sit down with Mark to talk about growing up in Lafayette inside a family that helped bring McDonald’s to the area, where procedure, cleanliness, and consistency weren’t buzzwords, they were daily life. That early training shaped how he sees restaurants now: strong systems, clear standards, and a team culture that protects the guest experience. Mark shares what it was like having a perfectionist father who secret-shopped his own stores, and how those expectations followed him into every kitchen he’s led. Then the path swerves. Mark opens up about getting sent away to boarding school, the early anger, and the unexpected gift of structure, leadership, and exposure to different cultures and cuisines. From there we follow him to Austin, where the restaurant scene and the grind of learning technique pushed him toward culinary school. He also talks candidly about being attacked by a pit bull, the recovery, and how that reset clarified what he wanted to do with his life. Coming back to Lafayette, Mark chooses creativity over corporate comfort and helps build what becomes Social, while partnering to support and modernize local institutions like Pete’s, Tap Room, and Marcello’s. We get into what hospitality really means, how to build a management bench, and the dishes that keep people coming back, from brick oven chicken with sweet tea brine to biscuits that have evolved over the years. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, then share this one with a food lover and leave a review so more people can find the Foodies of Lafayette Podcast. The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time! learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com Social Media Facebook Instagram YouTube

    50 min
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About

Welcome to the official podcast of Foodies of Lafayette—where flavor meets community! Hosted by founder Heidi McDonald and partner Jason Stoner, each episode brings you inside the kitchens, stories, and lives of the people who make Lafayette’s culinary scene unforgettable. From behind-the-scenes chats with local chefs and restaurant owners to stories of food-driven charity, culture, and celebration, this is where Acadiana's food spirit comes to life—one delicious conversation at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Foodies Of Lafayette
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Foodies Of Lafayette Podcast
  • Show Website
    Foodies Of Lafayette Podcast