Keith Havard wanted to bring some southern style to Lansing. So he applied what he knew best: cooking.
In late March, Havard opened the doors to
Jumbeaux: a southern- and Cajun-style restaurant on Lansing's Westside. Within days, he was drawing a crowd, prepping lunches and late-afternoon meals for those with a yen for regional cuisine.
Havard grew up in Louisiana. His Cajun grandfather passed along his recipes, equipping Havard with the culinary know-how to whip up both spicy and southern meals for family and friends. When he moved to Michigan to be close to his wife's family, he sensed his destiny was to bring Louisiana-style cooking to the city.
"I almost did a food truck," says Havard. "But then this location became available. I filled out the paperwork just as soon as I could."
Jumbeaux is occupying the space of the former Fork in the Road at 2010 W. Saginaw. With prime visibility, a good-sized parking lot, and space for 44 diners, Havard says the spot is perfect. His friend, Brandon Whitt, came up from Louisiana to be his head chef. Soon, the two were building a menu of Cajun and southern favorites like shrimp creole, blackened catfish, jambalaya, gumbo, po' boys, and smothered chicken.
"His dishes are just like home cooking," says Havard of Whitt, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of New York. "The must tries are definitely the crawfish etouffee or the shrimp and grits."
Customers to Jumbeaux place orders at a counter, with food delivered fast and hot to their table. Most meals are made daily in large batches, with some dishes—like alligator—based on availability. The majority of ingredients are sourced from local vendors, with alligator, po' boy and muffalatta bread coming straight from Louisiana.
Jumbeaux created six jobs and will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Source: Keith Havard, Owner, Jumbeaux
Writer: Ann Kammerer, News Editor
Got a story idea for Capital Gains Development News? Email Ann Kammerer here.
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