About Isaac Toups

Isaac Toups is head chef and co-owner of Toups’ Meatery in New Orleans. At Toups’, Isaac serves up the hearty, Cajun-type of food he loves most, like crispy cracklins’, artistically epic charcuterie boards, and confit chicken thighs with white beans, greens, and gizzard gravy . According to Zagat, “if you’re a carnivore, this is your restaurant.” Toups’ Meatery has received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. In 2010, Times-Picayune called Isaac a ‘Chef to Watch.’ Recently, Isaac was named as a James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef in the South.

Born and raised in Rayne, Louisiana, or born and braised, as Isaac jokes, to a food-centric family, Cajun has always coursed through Toups’ veins. He credits his mom and grandmother for his early start in cooking, but it was Emeril who gave Toups his professional start as a cook at his restaurant, Delmonico’s. Over the course of a decade, Toups worked his way through the ranks, all while perfecting his craft. In 2012, Toups and his wife bought Toups’ Meatery, where they have been making a name for themselves ever since.