Moby Gumbo...Inside Chef John Folse's gumbo factory...

     I had no idea anyone routinely cooked gumbo by the ton until I heard of Chef John Folse's gumbo factory in Donaldsonville. In April, 2016, Chef was kind enough to invite me in to watch a 2.5 ton batch of gumbo being made. It was mind blowing--not just the scale of the operation but the technolgy that makes it possible. Giant mechanical arms lift 400 pounds of the vegetable "Trinity" into the huge steel vats that Chef Folse calls his kettles. Mechanical arms within the vats keep everything stirred up so nothing sticks or burns. Chef had to invent most the this equipment, including two mechanized vats that turn out dark roux by the ton. The last photo shows the results: succulent chicken-and-sausage and seafood gumbo that looks and tastes like it came out of your momma's kitchen--if your momma is from South Louisiana.

Next Page    Back

Home