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Nicholls senior culinary student Logan Parker swept the competition in the six-week Grill-Off Challenge hosted by the Dansereau House in Thibodaux.
Parker had everything but the kitchen sink thrown his way in the battle and is happy with the outcome. However, humility is what is most important to the Monroe native.
“It was nice to win and all, but I am not one to brag. I do not like to get a big head, because that can impact other people. I just stay humble, and that is my thing,” Parker said. “It is good to be successful, and I will enjoy it while it lasts, but I don’t want to go around bragging about it. I like to stay level headed and keep moving forward.”
Parker gained some notoriety in the community because of his success throughout the grill-off.
“Bourgeois’ Meat Market contacted me and is interested in hiring me. They asked me what my plans are after I graduate,” Parker said. “John Folse has also reached out to me. That has been really cool having the head of the department being enthusiastic about it. Just getting my name out there has been great.”
Since early July, Parker has worked Dansereau House’s kitchen. Head Innkeeper, Debra Rainey believes he has “all of the ingredients to be great chef.”
Rainey worked with Bon Appétit Magazine and the Food Network. Excluding Chef Bobby Flay and Chef Emeril Lagasse, she worked with many of the Food Network stars.
“There are certain chefs you meet who have a passion for things. They have a way of putting things together. It is called culinary arts for a reason,” she said. “(Parker) is passionate about his art. He is very pragmatic and practical in his approach.
“Logan has a little special something or as the French say ‘je ne sais quoi.’ It is hard to describe it.”
One of the common denominators between Parker and some of the chefs Rainey has worked with is how calm Parker remains in the kitchen.
“He is so zen. The best chefs I have worked with are the same way. The temper tantrum throwers chefs think they can get away with it, but their food suffers,” she said. ”They need to look past their egos to see that. Logan never loses focus on the task at hand because of his calm approach.”
Rainey said she noticed something special in the first 10 minutes Parker was in the kitchen. He made a remoulade dressing for an event the Dansereau House was catering and asked if he could add a little jalapeño to it.
“I could tell his entire focus was making the dish better,” Rainey said.
The young chef has so impressed Rainey and Dansereau House owner Damon Baldone that he has been asked to cater various private events.
Baldone and Rainey are not the first employers Parker has impressed.
Parker started working for the Coffee Bean Catering Company in 2009. That is how he ended up at Nicholls.
“My boss, Kim Berhagen saw that I was really good and needed to grow. She told me about Nicholls; I did not know anything about it,” Parker said. “I was looking at culinary schools in other places. I started looking into it and then moved down (from UL Monroe) about seven months later.”
Parker is scheduled to graduate in December 2015 and has big plans in the coming years.
One of his main goals is to travel, showcasing his skills to people around the world. Parker applied for the Paul Bocuse Cooking Institute in Lyon, France.
“The school chooses three students every year to go over there for fourth months. (Nicholls is) actually the only school in America that sends students there,” Parker said. “We are very privileged to have that opportunity.”
If he is accepted, France likely won’t be the last stop of Parker’s educational journey.
The aspiring chef has always had a deep interest in science, so he is considering attending Louisiana State University’s agricultural program.
Parker would love to make a difference by providing children with healthier options.
“I would like to go into public schools and help start agriculture programs and start emphasizing importance of fresh fruits and things like that,” he said. “It is important to know where your food comes from and know that you are getting the best quality of food.”
No matter where his career takes him, the winner of the first Dansereau House Grill-Off will always dedicate himself to his work.
“I have put in a lot of hours. That is for sure. You have to be dedicated and willing to give up a lot of your time.”
Nicholls State culinary senior Logan Parker’s success in the first Dansereau House Grill-Off is no surprise to the people who have worked with him. Since early July, he has worked at the Thibodaux site. Parker graduates in December 2015, and has applied to attend the Paul Bocuse Cooking Institute in Lyon, France.
