Chef Blaine Guillot graduated from Nicholls State University in 1999. Chef Guillot is the Food Service Manager at St. Charles Parish Hospital for Ochsner Health Systems. Guillot says that he wanted to go to Nicholls so that he could learn more about the cooking traditions and cuisine of South Louisiana. He said that he wanted to be able to show people the importance of cajun and creole cuisine and preserving its history. Guillot was named one of the Best Chef’s of Louisiana by the ACF in 2012 and has catered events for a wide variety of clientele during his time at the Beau Rivage and Lindy Boggs Hospital.
Q: What is your current job like?
A: I currently manage a staff of 18 and I am responsible for the cafeteria food, patient food and managing monthly budgets.
Q: What is your favorite project that you have worked on so far?
A: My favorite project I have worked on was remodeling and designing the hospital cafeteria in 2011.
Q: Where was your favorite internship when you were in school?
A: Learning from the chef at Les Jardin Du Lac in France was a really unique experience.
Q: How important do you think that culinary school was to your success?
A: CJFCI show me lots of things that I did not know and introduced me to people from around the world that I am still friends with today.
Q: What was the most impactful class that you took?
A: The most impactful class that I took with Bistro. Bistro really showed us how to run and operate a restaurant from the back of the house and the front of the house.
Q: What is some advice you would like to share with young culinarians?
A: Make sure you have a love for food because this is a demanding industry that takes a lot of dedication. Also, more students should know that you should work your way to the top and learn from all the other positions of the kitchen first.
River Parish Creole Tomato Salad
By: Chef Blaine Guillot
Ingredients:
10 Fresh Creole Tomatoes
1lb Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Fresh Basil
Dressing:
½ Cup Olive Oil
¼ Cup Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 Shallot Minced
1 Clove Garlic Minced
¼ Steen’s Cane Syrup
Directions: Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon Mustard, Cane Syrup, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper together in a glass jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until thoroughly combined.
Place 3 slices of Fresh Creole Tomato with a slice of Fresh Mozzarella Cheese over each tomato and a slice of basil and drizzle with the dressing and enjoy.
