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Award-winning chef and local doctor open Thibodaux restaurant

The Courier
The Courier

An award-winning chef and volunteer firefighter has brought his culinary talents back to his hometown of Thibodaux.

No longer will you have to drive to New Orleans to taste the gourmet cuisine prepared by Nathan Richard.

The longtime Thibodaux volunteer firefighter and the reigning King of American Seafood has joined forces with local physician Dr. Jody Plaisance and his wife, Dollie, to open Cuvée in Thibodaux’s Acadia Plantation neighborhood.

“It’s always good to be back home,” said Richard, who is from Thibodaux and has served with the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department for nearly 20 years. “The change of pace is different in a good way.”

The owners describe their newly opened wine bar and bistro at 116 A Rue Angelique as a gumbo of sorts. The establishment offers visitors a blend of specialty wines, cocktails and food. The restaurant’s name reflects that.

“We’ve had an avid interest in wine for years,” Plaisance said. “What started as a wine shop and bar has become a full-on restaurant. When you talk about wine, the word ‘cuvée’ references the best blend. We have the best blend of everything, from wine to food.”

Richard, also an adjunct professor at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University, said he hopes Cuvée will be an educational food source.

“There are a lot of great restaurants here, and Thibodaux will always be a great food destination,” Richard said. “Last year Thibodaux won No. 2 for its small-town food scene. My goal is to get all our restaurants together and make it No. 1. One way to do that is to teach everyone about different foods and push the envelope. I want this kitchen to be an institution.”

All of Cuvée’s menu items are prepared in-house, Richard said.

“That makes all the difference in the world,” he said.

Opening a new restaurant in the middle of a global pandemic was no easy feat, but it also provided a silver lining, Plaisance said.

“We originally wanted this open by spring, but because of the pandemic it allowed us to slow down and work on improving and perfecting the menus and let us hire good people,” he said. “It allowed us to put out a product we can be proud of. Given Nathan’s reputation, it really put the stamp on the entire project. It really set the tone of what this place was going to be.”

“We combined our visions,” Richard added. “COVID wrecked a lot of lives and changed a lot of things. It brought us together on many levels to have different opportunities during a time of disaster. In a way, it’s been a mixed blessing.”

The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, Plaisance said.

“We’re hoping to help the people of Thibodaux expand their palates and try different things and learn about different wines,” he said. “You don’t really need talent to appreciate wine, you just need to have an open mind.”

Cuvée is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For information, visit enjoycuvee.com.

-- Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp.

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Award-winning chef and local doctor open Thibodaux restaurant

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