Live Bold and Passionate for Life.

kidding!) My mom did all the cooking, red beans on Monday, seafood on Friday and big family dinners on Sunday. We would watch football too — go Saints! My dad was in charge of sliced meat poboys on Saturdays. We did crawfish and crab boils too, which I do as well over at Serpas True Food, my first restaurant in Old Fourth Ward.

Q: Do you remember the first meal you cooked?

A: Wow, yes. Peanut butter and jelly, which I still love! Soft white bread, stick-tothe-roof-of-yourmouth peanut butter and clumpy grape jelly. Simple is good.

Q: Why did you decide to open restaurants in Brookhaven?

Serpas is a New Orleans native who learned his love of the restaurant industry as a busboy at New Orleans restaurants. The love of food and cooking, however, is a family tradition.

Q: Who taught you to cook?

A: Well, growing up as one of five kids and I’m the youngest, we didn’t go out very much. Not sure if we couldn’t afford it or if we didn’t behave very well! (Just

A: It is a close-knit, family community. The Dresden area, being walkable, is great to enjoy with my family. We wanted to fill a void in the community with a strong, family-friendly barbecue joint that is casual with great food and an appealing menu, choice-wise and price-wise. We have a swing on our porch for the kids and televisions inside for parents to catch the game.

Q: What do you love about being a chef?

A: Cooking. I’d rather cook than do anything else at my restaurants. Menu development, writing recipes, sourcing local food — these are the things that I truly look forward to each day.

Q: What is your opinion of the food