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Top Chef fan favorite and Toups Meatery mastermind Isaac Toups will open Toups South in Central City this October, Ian McMulty reports. The beloved chef is a native of Rayne, Louisiana and renowned for his Cajun charcuterie and pork chop with dirty rice. The new restaurant heads to the recently shuttered Purloo space (1504 O.C. Haley) inside of Southern Food and Beverage Musuem, and will expand the scope of Toups' cooking to the broader American South.
Do expect those epic cracklins with meaty dishes ranging from Texas barbecue to a 'fried pork chop stack' as well. There will be a full bar, wine program, and likely a happy hour.
Both Toups and GM Larry Nguyen will split their time between the Mid City and Central City restaurants. Toups Meatery's chef du cuisine David Barbeau will take over as chef de cuisine at Toups South, while sous Mario Reyes will move into chef de cuisine at Toups' Meatery.
Co-owner and wine pro Amanda Toups tells The Advocate that the move to the booming OCH strip feels right for the team, and it's a view shared by SoFAB director Liz Williams, who anticipates special menus, museum exhibits, and more partnerships with the restaurant on the horizon.
