DELORES HURST, Reveille Radio News Reporter:
Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina changed lives culturally and economically, particularly with restaurants. Here in Baton Rouge, New Orleans natives gathered at local eating establishments like Louie’s.
General Manager Fred Simonson said after Katrina, business picked up drastically and since there wasn’t much damage, they were open and customers poured in. He said it was like LSU football season and his one regret was being short staffed. Despite having busier schedules some employees of Louie’s found time to volunteer while Katrina victims stayed on LSU campus. Simonson also added being the only restaurant open felt like being a big help.
Culturally, before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans natives viewed the food in New Orleans. LSU student Paige Chandler said,
PAIGE CHANDLER (University student): Before Katrina, restaurants were pretty good. Everything just seemed to be perfect combinations; the atmosphere, the people. Everybody enjoyed the cuisine in New Orleans.
HURST: And after the storm,
CHANDLER: Pretty different, it seemed like all the cooks had left and went other places and refused to come back. I don’t know like, when you’re younger, you feel that everything taste good because you’re young, so you don’t really know. It might be that but right now if you go to say Sammy’s Po-boys on Elysian Fields, it’s just not the same. They use different breads; it’s just like a whole new style of cooking.
HURST: Five years later, Chandler says the restaurant that reminds her of pre-Katrina home cooking is,
CHANDLER: University Seafood; they remind me a lot of our seafood places at home and here at Louie’s. Louie’s really reminds me of French quarter atmosphere and the food and the people.
HURST: Katrina may still evoke many emotions, but for some it is becoming just a distant memory.
CHANDLER: I don’t know, it happened not long ago but it’s one of those things that you erase. It’s kind of like how you cope with it; just to forget about it and I forgot it so it’s almost like it never happened.
HURST: I’m Delores Hurst with your Reveille Radio News.