Having recently moved its corporate headquarters from Colorado to Louisiana, The Lost Cajun, a family-friendly restaurant with a focus on authentic Cajun food and hospitality, is set to open its first Louisiana location this summer
Located at Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, the new restaurant—which offers standard south Louisiana food such as seafood gumbo, jambalaya, fried seafood, po-boys and red beans and rice—will be owned and operated by Keith and Carolyn (Chi Chi) Williams, who eventually plan to open three additional locations in the area.
After first being introduced to Raymond “Griff” Griffin, a Barataria native and founder of The Lost Cajun, nearly 28 years ago, The Williams discovered the Cajun concept through a mutual friend of theirs.
“A friend of ours read an article about The Lost Cajun and reconnected us with Griff. As the saying goes, the rest is history,” says Chi Chi. “We are thrilled to be the first to introduce The Lost Cajun’s great food and unique atmosphere to Louisiana and look forward to offering this unique dining option to the Slidell community.”
Originally from St. Bernard Parish, The Williams moved to Slidell shortly after Hurricane Katrina. Keith spent over 35 years in the car business as a general manager and retired in 2016. Chi Chi retired in 2010 from Lockheed Martin after 30 years. They have two daughters, Cher (Scott), and Blair, one son, Joseph, and two grandchildren, Lauren and Peyton. Carolyn is also a volunteer for the Slidell Ladies for Liberty. A group of women (and men) in Slidell dedicated to adopting local soldiers being deployed on active duty around the world sending monthly care packages.
“I was always a workaholic and retirement just did not agree with me. I researched The Lost Cajun for months and finally visited one of the stores in Houston, Texas,” says Keith. “After eating the food and experiencing the company’s unique and dynamic culture, we decided that we too wanted to become part of The Lost Cajun family.”
The Lost Cajun’s menu offers diners a sampling of traditional Cajun fare, including a variety of gumbos—seafood, chicken and sausage, and vegetarian. Red beans and rice, fried seafood, crawfish etouffee and lobster bisque also top the menu, as does another Cajun staple, jambalaya. And what Cajun restaurant would be complete without beignets for dessert?
The Lost Cajun further distinguishes itself with a fantastic down-home atmosphere—a true hole-in-the-wall with wooden tables, unique decorations and an expertly crafted playlist of Zydeco music. The open kitchen concept harks back to the wooden counters in Louisiana’s gumbo houses; patrons can watch their food being cooked and hear the courtesy and respect commonly associated with Cajun culture.
“As we continue to expand our presence nationally, it’s critical to find the right franchise partners who are as passionate about the brand as we are,” says Griff. “This is why we couldn’t be more excited about welcoming Keith and Chi Chi to The Lost Cajun team. We are incredibly pleased with the following and recognition we’ve garnered so far from our loyal customers and can’t wait to reach the same level of acclaim in Louisiana.”
