{"id":244450,"date":"2026-07-16T01:49:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T01:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/244450\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T01:49:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T01:49:20","slug":"let-the-good-times-roll-at-roux-orleans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/244450\/","title":{"rendered":"Let the Good Times Roll at Roux Orleans"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rouxorleans2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER<\/p>\n

It\u2019s lunchtime on a Tuesday and Roux Orleans<\/a> is bumpin\u2019 like Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras.<\/p>\n

Jazz blares from overhead speakers as folks parade through the restaurant carrying trays loaded with jambalaya, blackened catfish, gumbo and gator po\u2019boys.<\/p>\n

During brief lulls in the action, chef Mike \u201cBig EZ\u201d Barnes swings by my table to tell me about his journey from New Orleans to Pittsburgh\u2019s Chateau neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything in here reminds me of home,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

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PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a mural on the wall of a window overlooking various NOLA landmarks, including Caesars Superdome, St. Louis Cathedral and the Crescent City Connection. The menu, too, sparks memories of Barnes\u2019 childhood in the Big Easy.<\/p>\n

His grandparents ran a New Orleans bar and became known for their Cajun and Creole dishes \u2014 and their generosity. They believed in nourishing the mind, body and spirit of each patron.<\/p>\n

The family lived above the business, and Barnes recalls sneaking downstairs as a kid to scope out the scene. Eventually, his grandmother allowed him in the kitchen for cooking lessons.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe taught me everything that I need to know about my craft, my art,\u201d he says, adding that when it comes to cooking, he\u2019s the Kobe Bryant to his grandmother\u2019s Michael Jordan.<\/p>\n

Her slam-dunk recipes are helping him carve out his own culinary niche in Pittsburgh, where people can get a hearty meal and laissez les bons temps rouler.<\/p>\n

So, why did he leave New Orleans?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hot down there,\u201d he says with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Barnes, a veteran of Louisiana\u2019s hospitality industry, moved to Pittsburgh in 2014 and opened a construction company with no intention of returning to a professional kitchen. But, when friends discovered his culinary skills, they began requesting trays of dirty rice and jambalaya for their parties.<\/p>\n

As demand grew, Barnes realized he was building something unique that went beyond bricks and mortar. In 2016, he opened Roux Orleans as a catering service in Homewood<\/a>. Barnes also operated a small kitchen at Tortured Souls Brewing<\/a> in New Kensington before opening his own North Side space in April.<\/p>\n

Like a building needs a solid foundation, authentic New Orleans\u2019 food needs a solid roux, a base made of equal parts flour and oil for thickening soups, gravies and sauces.<\/p>\n

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PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER<\/p>\n

Last Friday, I indulged in the crawfish \u00e9touff\u00e9e special: creamy cajun sauce, spice, garlic, fresh herbs and white rice topped with fried catfish and a thick slice of cornbread. Ordering a dozen hushpuppies was a bit overindulgent since a few of the deep-fried cornmeal balls could silence a growling stomach, but I wolfed them down anyway. On Tuesday, I took a pork chop and jambalaya to go so I could pig-out in the privacy of my own home.<\/p>\n

Chateau sits on the banks of the Ohio River near Bicycle Heaven<\/a> and East End Brewing Co.\u2019s Pop-Up Beer Garden<\/a>. The neighborhood will soon be home to the $740 million Esplanade project<\/a>, a multi-use development with condos, a splash park, an ice skating rink and a 200-foot-tall Ferris wheel. It\u2019s slated to open in 2028.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Barnes is still cranking out catering orders in Homewood and creating a community at Roux Orleans in Chateau. He plans to offer cooking classes at the restaurant on Tuesdays and Thursdays, teaching others the knowledge his grandmother passed on to him.<\/p>\n

His birthday is on July 18, so he\u2019s hosting a bash at the B.Y.O.B. establishment from 5 to 8 p.m. If there\u2019s one thing New Orleans natives know how to do, it\u2019s throw a party. There will be live music from the Bayou Brass Band and a special menu of fan favorites.<\/p>\n

What will he be wishing for when he blows out the candles on his cake? More Roux Orleans locations throughout Pittsburgh, the city he\u2019s proud to call home.\t<\/p>\n