Business Lunch Juban’s Restaurant

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, it was a foregone conclusion that the average Baton Rouge suit would have, at some point, had lunch at Juban’s. The 40-year-old, family-owned Creole restaurant at Perkins and Acadian cultivated a reputation for hosting refined business lunches as well as midday meetings for scores of professional organizations.

Its large footprint and reliance on private events made staying open unsustainable during the pandemic, and the restaurant’s owners, the Juban family, decided to temporarily close. The hiatus provided time to rebrand, remodel and bring the iconic eatery into Baton Rouge’s more competitive hospitality landscape. It reopened April 4.

The new design, created by Dyke Nelson Architects and X Design, is luminous and gilded, a modern version of celebratory New Orleans institutions like Commander’s Palace and Brennan’s. The main dining room, now the Hallelujah Bar, features dining tables, a large bar and an outdoor patio. The Tigre Room, a sultry “library,” behind a trick wall, is set off in rich teals, dark wood and burnt orange. It’s wallpapered in bright, colonial tigers and peacocks, while the beloved visages of Joe Burrow, D-D Breaux and others are hidden in heroic portraiture.

On the plate, it’s equally old-meets-new. Chef de cuisine Chris Motto, formerly of Mansurs on the Boulevard, runs the kitchen, while managing partner and executive chef Peter Sclafani occupies a leadership role. Motto has updated Juban’s enduring dishes such as Hallelujah Crab, Redfish Adrian, and mango tasso shrimp. Among his new additions is the Ora King salmon, a buttery sustainably farmed salmon from New Zealand. It’s served with ratatouille, sautéed spinach, smoked tomato coulis and chive beurre blanc, and is topped with homemade salmon crackling that Motto prepares by dehydrating and deep frying salmon skin.

“It’s one of the best fish available,” Sclafani says. “The flavor and moisture are just insane.”

2 JUBAN’S RESTAURANT

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON • PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

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Traditional favorites like the Hallelujah Crab (background) remain on the menu, but a new dish attracting attention is the Ora King salmon, a buttery, sustainably farmed salmon from New Zealand.

The Victorian explorer-inspired Tigre Room is generating excitement for its sultry vibe, animal skin rugs, and a series of “paintings” of famous LSU sports personalities.

A temporary closing during the height of the pandemic allowed for a complete rebrand and redesign of the iconic eatery.

ADDRESS: 3739 Perkins Road PHONE: 225-346-8422 WEB: jubans.com CUISINE: Creole fine dining CHEF/OWNER: Executive Chef, Peter Sclafani; Chef de Cuisine, Chris Motto; managed by Making Raving Fans Hospitality SCENE: Newly renovated eatery with multiple private rooms, large Atrium Bar and patio dining PRICING: $$-$$$

“I’ve had the opportunity to get to know MBOBR as a client, a business partner and a mom. There’s great peace of mind knowing I always have a team working behind the scenes to support all sides of my business and family.”

— Krystal Faircloth 2022 EQS 450+ SEDAN

10949 Airline Highway • Baton Rouge (225) 424-2277 • www.mbobr.com

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2022 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN

IN BUSINESS

HONORING 9 WOMEN LEADERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CAPITAL REGION.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

Despite the many challenges, they find a way to make it all look so easy. The high-pressure careers. The growing families. The service on local boards and volunteer efforts at area nonprofits. Operating on the national stage.

The 2022 Influential Women in Business balance all these demands—and more—though it hasn’t been a leisurely climb for any of this year’s nine honorees. And while their personal and career paths are varied, there are a few common threads that emerge when speaking with the honorees about how they’ve reached this point in their lives.

They take risks. They persevere in the face of failure. They have strong support networks. They believe in themselves. Participating in athletics has played a critical role for several. And at the end of a long day, they know how to decompress and recharge for the next challenge that awaits them.

For 25 years now, Business Report has been honoring the incredible women in our community who are making the Capital Region a better place to live, work and play. As you’ll learn in their profiles on the following pages, this year’s honorees have already achieved much, but they’re not anywhere near the finish line. Along with the profiles, the 2022 Influential Women in Business will be celebrated at a special luncheon on May 10. Tickets are on sale now at www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-influential-women-in-business-luncheon-tickets-266318424577.com. Individual tickets are $65; a reserved table of 10 is $650.