Elvin King traded in the stress of law enforcement for cooking. The New Orleans native was working for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Department in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina when he made the switch.
“I always wanted to cook,” he said, “but the results weren’t worth tasting until 2007 or so. That’s how long it took me to learn, mostly from trial and error.”
He trained for his craft by working at different restaurants in New Orleans and Birmingham.
“Life in the kitchen was good; something sparked for me,” he said.
It wasn’t long before the more experienced chefs were asking King’s opinion. He’s entered some major competitions, but hasn’t received the coveted first prize yet.
Now, he caters, food preps for families and cooks for special occasions in homes in Lake Charles.
“My cousin told me to come to Lake Charles,” King said. “I worked for Meek’s Lounge and Bistro for four years before opening my business, Something Different,” he said.
It was likely his grandmother’s food that set his standard, and has made it almost impossible for him to prepare a meal and cook for only one.
“She had 100 grandchildren and great grandchildren,” he said. “When she cooked, she had us take food to other people in the neighborhood, especially the elderly.”
Each grandchild requested something special from their grandmother for a birthday meal. King didn’t make it easy for her. He requested crawfish bisque, the real deal, made completely from scratch, stuffed crawfish heads and all, a five-hour labor of love, according to King.
“Whoever got their special meal made the other grandchildren jealous,” King said. “I remember one cousin always requested fried shrimp, another liked red beans and rice.”
If he could have anyone, dead or alive, cook him a meal, he would want it to be his grandmother, and the meal he would want her to provide is tuna casserole, from scratch.
