Chef John Reason has always enjoyed cooking. He says he first fell in love with cooking as a boy cooking with his father. John then joined the military and served 16 years for The United States Army where he completed 14 deployments (12 combat tours & 2 peace tours.) While in service he earned two Bronze Star medals, two Meritorious Service Awards, and 14 Army Achievement medals before medically retiring from injuries sustained from combat in Iraq.
It was while in service that he attended a culinary school in Georgia. He explained that at the time, he wasn't able to complete the schooling due to frequent deployments. John passionately shared how he often cooked and entertained for his soldiers, family & friends. Upon exiting the Army, he pursued commercial fishing and was encouraged to pursue cooking as a living. John then attended Louisiana Culinary Institute.
John Reason, a Louisiana sportsman
He has been a member of Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board for 3 years, where he serves as the Wild Caught Catfish Board Member. He is a Pro Staff Member for ArrowTech Archery and Orca Coolers, and Field Staff for Cervicide Outdoors. He is the Consultant Chef for Delcambre Seafood & Farmers Market and Louisiana Direct Seafood Shop, where he does seafood cooking demos, and recipe implementation. His creativity and passion shows! Serving up delicious seafood dishes from alligator ravioli to shrimp noodles.
Chef John is currently working with Cajun Culinary Roots, where they are serving up private dinners and catering, and a Farm and Boat to Table experience. His goal is to start his own show where he is hunting, fishing and then demonstrates cooking the wild game and seafood fit for a restaurant, or simple and healthy for a family dinner table. He is passionate about bringing invasive species to the dinner table, and creating new delicious dishes each time with him. When asked what his favorite kitchen product is, he says C’est Tout Trinity. John says that he loves using it in his dishes, whether re-hydrated or dried for the flavors. He explains it is a “must” in his kitchen or on his demo table.
As if his story isn’t impressive or inspiring enough, Chef John Reason was recently awarded Top 25 Best Chefs of Louisiana for 2020. He was also nominated for the Small Town Chefs Award from Country Roads Magazine. When he isn’t hunting, fishing or cooking, he serves as a reserve police officer for the Central Police Department. You can find Chef John Reason on his YouTube channel: J P's Kitchen or on facebook at CajunGrobeck. Lastly, be sure to attend Delcambre Seafood & Farmers Market on Saturday, August 7th for Chef Demo from Chef John Reason for Shrimp Festival Month.
Sheb Callahan is a crabber. From his Louisiana Blue Crab, LLC based in Kaplan, LA, Sheb is one of Louisiana’s largest crab wholesalers. His fishing, processing, and shipping operation serves not only Louisiana customers but a growing market in the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland and Virginia. Sheb learned the business from his father. Now, over 40 years later, he has forged relationships with fishermen throughout south Louisiana that ensures that he can source the meatiest and tastiest crabs from Gulf waters.
The meatiest blue crabs are Sheb’s specialty. (Photo credit: Internet archive)
Instead of using boilers, Sheb live-steams his crabs, which optimizes the quality of texture and flavor. Their state-of-the-art facility is a model for the industry, processing up to 15,000 pounds of fresh crab a day with the safest methods possible. Utilizing a specialized steam retort (essentially a gigantic pressure cooker), expert pickers, and a black light area to make sure the majority of shell is removed, the company has the simple goal of bringing out the best in their crabmeat.
Carefully picking crab claws at Louisiana Blue Crab. (Photo credit: Rose Anne Raphael)
Louisiana Blue Crab works with Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter for the boat-to-table program of Louisiana Direct Seafood. Sold in 1-pound, vacuum-packed bags, buyers can choose crabmeat in three ways: jumbo lump, claw, or backfin lump. Sheb’s company selects the highest quality crabs and processes by picking, packing, and flash-freezing for shipping nationwide. Order your Vermilion Bay Sweet crabmeat online here on the Louisiana Direct Seafood SHOP, or if you live in Acadiana, you can pick up the Vermilion Bay Sweet crabmeat products in four locations: The Market at Broussard Commons in Broussard, Gonsoulin Farm Store in Loreauville, Boudreaux's Southern Seafood in New Iberia, and Jessica Gail Seafood in Youngsville. This program aims to create an online marketplace for connecting Louisiana’s fishermen with home cooks and retailers everywhere.
Be sure to connect with Sheb Callahan and many more coastal Louisiana fishermen by accessing his business profile on the website. It’s nice to know that you are helping to support the many fishing families that are the foundation of our Louisiana seafood industry.
Sheb Callahan
Louisiana Blue Crab, LLC
2042 W. Veterans Memorial Dr.
Kaplan, LA 70548
(337) 643-6090
This Boat-To-Table series of stories, recipes, and information about our seafood industry is brought to you in support of Louisiana Direct Seafood, a free program of Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter.
Naomi Porche is a Voisin through and through, as she carries on the family’s passion for oysters at Motivatit Seafoods. Based in Houma, LA, the Voisin name has become synonymous with oysters in Louisiana. And Naomi is proud of that heritage established by her grandfather Ernest Voisin almost 50 years ago. The business specializes in Louisiana’s prized oysters serving the restaurant and retail industry with the tastiest bivalves from coastal Gulf waters. Harvesting, processing, and distributing oysters is big business, and the scale of their operation reaches buyers nationwide.
Gold Band in-shell oysters are pre-opened for convenience and safety. (Photo credit: Motivatit archive)
In the 1990s, the company became concerned for customers’ safety due to the bacteria Vibrio Vulnificus that is sometimes found in shellfish. The Voisin family searched for a way to remove the bacteria without altering the raw oyster’s characteristics. They discovered a high-pressure processing machine capable of killing bacteria while leaving the oyster’s taste and texture in perfect condition. Not only was the bacteria eliminated, but surprisingly, the abductor muscle was released from the shell, literally shucking itself. And now, the product marked with a Gold Band is the premier product of a full line of fresh and frozen oysters. The company employs a staff of approximately 100 workers that process about 500 sacks of oysters daily. And they sell even more of the excess sacks to other processors, restaurant groups, and wholesale distributors.
Naomi’s company is an innovator in the seafood industry, and they have developed a unique product to serve the growing taste for grilled oysters on the half shell. Gold Band Frozen Half Shell Oysters were created using two state-of-the-art technologies. First, they undergo their High Pressure Process, which shucks the oyster. Next, the oysters are cryogenically frozen. The result is a fully detached, perfectly presented frozen half shell oyster. Not only is this a labor-saving product for restaurants, but it is also now in demand with home cooks for backyard events, hunting camps, and tailgating.
Naomi thinks they have perfected the oyster. And if you’re looking for the perfect oyster, then look no further than Motivatit at www.theperfectoyster.com or buy here on our Shop.
Motivatit Seafoods
412 Palm Avenue
Houma, LA 70364
985-868-7191
Email: naomi.porche@motivatit.com
www.theperfectoyster.com
It’s nice to know that you are helping to support the many fishing families that are the foundation of our Louisiana seafood industry.
This Boat-To-Table series of stories, recipes, and information about our seafood industry is brought to you in support of Louisiana Direct Seafood, a free program of Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU Ag Center.
From his boat in Galliano, Bryan, and his wife Corina, shrimp the waters of coastal Louisiana for the freshest Gulf shrimp. Under the brand name Corina Corina, the Mobley family runs their processing facility where they sort, peel, vacuum-pack, and freeze the highest quality shrimp for both the wholesale and consumer market. And you can find Bryan’s 1-pound pack of Louisiana shrimp on our Shop website.
They use an ultra-low, -40ºF, shatter-pack freezer process to lock in the fresh Gulf sweetness at the time of the catch. In this way, the shrimp are at their peak, and when thawed by home cooks, the quality is better than never frozen. Corina Corina has all sizes: Large peeled/deveined shrimp and peeled gumbo/cooking shrimp, as well as 10 lb. and 20 lb. plate-frozen boxed shrimp are on the list of Louisiana wild-caught seafood products.
And Bryan processes more than just shrimp. He also specializes in Louisiana oysters where they package the 1-pound (approx. 2 dozen oysters), vacuum-sealed oysters for the Vermilion Bay Sweet brand sold online here on our website. These are high-quality, fat, juicy oysters that are flash-frozen at their peak of freshness.
Once you’ve thawed out a package of Bryan’s high-quality frozen oysters, you’ll never buy them any other way. This way, you can always have a pack of Louisiana oysters in your freezer; they’re perfect for frying or grilling.
From their storefront along the highway into Galliano, Bryan and Corina sell all of their shrimp products and one and 3-pound packs of oysters. Be sure to connect with Bryan and many more coastal Louisiana fishermen by accessing the contact information on the Louisiana Direct Seafood website. It’s a free service, and it’s nice to know that you are helping to support the many fishing families that are the foundation of our Louisiana seafood industry.
Contact:
Bryan and Corina Mobley
Corina Corina Seafood, LLC
17947 Hwy 3235
Galliano LA 70354
985-637-2326 or 985-637-2099
Email: bryancorinamobley@yahoo.com
This Boat-To-Table series of stories, recipes, and information about our seafood industry is brought to you in support of Louisiana Direct Seafood, a free program of Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU Ag Center.
And Bryan processes more than just shrimp. He also specializes in Louisiana oysters where they package the 1-pound (approx. 2 dozen oysters), vacuum-sealed oysters for the Vermilion Bay Sweet brand sold online here on our website. These are high-quality, fat, juicy oysters that are flash-frozen at their peak of freshness.
Once you’ve thawed out a package of Bryan’s high-quality frozen oysters, you’ll never buy them any other way. This way, you can always have a pack of Louisiana oysters in your freezer; they’re perfect for frying or grilling.
From their storefront along the highway into Galliano, Bryan and Corina sell all of their shrimp products and one and 3-pound packs of oysters. Be sure to connect with Bryan and many more coastal Louisiana fishermen by accessing the contact information on the Louisiana Direct Seafood website. It’s a free service, and it’s nice to know that you are helping to support the many fishing families that are the foundation of our Louisiana seafood industry.
Contact:
Bryan and Corina Mobley
Corina Corina Seafood, LLC
17947 Hwy 3235
Galliano LA 70354
985-637-2326 or 985-637-2099
Email: bryancorinamobley@yahoo.com
This Boat-To-Table series of stories, recipes, and information about our seafood industry is brought to you in support of Louisiana Direct Seafood, a free program of Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU Ag Center.