Casino Name: Cypress Bayou Casino & Hotel

Recipe Name: Mexi-Cajun Shrimp and Grits

Restaurant Name: Mr. Lester’s

Chef Name: Chef Willie Gaspard

 

 

 

About the Chef:

Born in Abbeville, Louisiana, and raised in New Iberia, I graduated from Delcambre High School before attending the Culinary Arts Institute of Louisiana. While in school, I worked at Juban’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge, gaining valuable hands-on experience.

 

After graduation, I returned home to work at Rip Van Winkle Gardens in Jefferson Island, where I was promoted to Executive Chef in 1999 and remained until the restaurant closed in 2001. That same year, I joined Cypress Bayou Casino as a Roundsman at Café Bayou. I advanced to Banquet Chef in 2002, Restaurant Chef in 2004, Executive Sous Chef in 2012, and Executive Chef in 2018.

 

Throughout my career at Cypress Bayou Casino, I have competed in culinary events across the Gulf Coast, earning more than 100 medals and numerous awards. I enjoy the diversity of our dining venues and working alongside the talented team members who help create exceptional guest experiences. My goal is to keep our restaurants fresh, exciting, and welcoming for every guest.

 

Outside the kitchen, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, fishing, hunting, and enjoying the outdoors in Louisiana.

Recipe Inspiration:

I love to recreate classical Cajun dishes with different cuisines from around the world.

 

Recipe Ingredients:

 

• 10 Flour street taco tortillas
• 1-pound jumbo lump crab meat
• 1-pound cooked yellow stone ground grits
• 1 cup roasted corn
• 1 package Boursin cheese
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack/cheddar
• 25 U-10 Gulf shrimp
• 1 bottle beer
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon Worchester sauce
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 lemon
• ¼ pound butter
• 1-pound asparagus
• 4 shallots
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 cups flour
• ½ gallon cooking oil
• 4 tablespoons Tony’s seasoning
• 1 quart cream

 

Recipe Instructions:

 

• Begin by preparing the stone ground grits in a pot with water and cream and cook on medium heat for 30-40 minutes.
• When the grits are tender, add roasted corn and cheese and season to taste. Place aside for use later.
• Next build the quesadillas by placing boursin cheese on the tortillas. Second add crabmeat, then grits, followed by more crabmeat and cheddar/jack blend.
• Grill the quesadillas until golden brown and place aside for plating.
• Sauté shrimp with butter and garlic. Deglaze with beer and reduce down au’sec, add Worchester sauce, rosemary sprig, juice of one lemon.
• Mount the butter and place aside for service.
• Slice shallots and place in buttermilk, then in seasoned flour and fry.
• Plate the dish by cutting the quesadilla, place shrimp on top of the quesadilla and place asparagus and sauce around the plate, and top with crispy fried shallots.