2025 marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina that forced approximately 300,000 survivors to relocate to Texas. Amber chatted with New Orleans native, Louis Rainey, the owner of The Pelican House, which serves classic New Orleans style cuisine and has become a staple in the community.
Amber: Louis, I am so excited to be here! We got to try some of your amazing beignets, and I am looking forward to trying the catfish. I also had the opportunity to meet some of your amazing customers. Talk to us about your journey from New Orleans to Dallas that led you to opening The Pelican House.
Louis: Well, I tell you… 20 years ago, we would have never thought we would be here today. I was a lobbyist, the head lobbyist, for the governor of Louisiana. The Friday before Hurricane Katrina happened, we flew back in town from doing a tour around the state. I had no idea that the hurricane was coming. Saturday, my wife and I were blessed to be able to have a housewarming party. We had just purchased the house, gutted out, redid it with my own sweat and tears… my hands. We had a housewarming party, and we were set to have about a 150 people to come. Only about 75 showed up. But one of those 75 was my good friend… the mayor’s attorney. He said, “This is serious. This is serious.” So, then the family and I made plans to get on the road to get out of there. And if you know anything about New Orleans people, we travel in groups. I was able to find hotels, you know, the wife and I, throughout the state. But I couldn’t find nines rooms, which is what we needed. The closest place was Dallas, Texas. And that’s how we got to Dallas, Texas.
Amber: What moment did you decide that not only do I want to find a community, but I want to build community? Was there a moment you said, “I’m going to stay here, rebuild, and eventually go back?” What were your thoughts on that?
Louis: There was a moment, Amber. But my wife is from here. And honestly, I hated it here.
Amber: I feel like the majority of people who came down here did!
Louis: You know the culture—
Amber: Oh, it’s totally different.
Louis: It’s totally different. So, I remember my wife and I had a conversation as I was travelling back-and-forth to Louisiana, at the time. We were having a conversation about what are we going to do. And one of those times that I came back, we decided that we will stay here and of course, she was elated because this is her hometown, which is fair. I mean, you know, she was in New Orleans with me all those years, so to be here with her family, you know, it made all the sense in the world. Then we realized that, you know, it was going to take some years to rebuild, and it was going to be different. We decided to stay here, because one thing that Dallas has is a really good quality of life.
Amber: How was it when you when you first opened The Pelican House? Do you feel like Dallas was receptive to your style of food and to your culture?
Louis: Yeah, you know, throughout the week, we’ve been talking about this… celebrating the 20th the anniversary, you know. The three things that folks from New Orleans love. Okay, they call it the Trinity. Now in cooking, it’s bell peppers, celery—You get where I’m going?
Amber: Mmhmmm!
Louis: Okay, and onions! The love of the people and the spirit of New Orleans is food, music, and The Saints. So, we had music here. We had a DJ by the name of Big Daddie the DJ.
Amber: Oh, yes! Talk to us about Big Daddie the DJ.
Louis: Yeah, Big Daddie saw that, you know, we were hurting… we were hurting. And so, every Sunday, Big Daddie the DJ, would invite everybody from across the city to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch The Saints. He would give us just a little bit to carry us to next week to see The Saints play again. Now remember, we said three for the trinity. We had the music, we had The Saints, so now we need the food. And so that’s how this place came to be.
Amber: Wow, that is incredible.
Louis: And we’re just so blessed. Now all the who’s who come here, I mean—jazz festivals!
Amber: Yes, about that because this weekend is the Riverfront Jazz Festival and I know a lot of people, when they travel away for home in New Orleans, they still come here. So, what does that mean to you that people from New Orleans want to have your food even when they come to Texas like PJ Morton and so many different people?
Louis: It means a lot… it means a lot that, you know. Folks, you know, inquire about coming here and come. And not just that, I mean, I’ve been in here a number of times. I’ve come in and you know, helped out. As you see, I have a uniform on, and I am hands-on. It’s a team. It’s a team affair. We call our crew, K-r-e-w, like Mardi Gras Krew. You know what I’m saying baby?
Amber: Yessss! We have two of your loyal customers here, who are also New Orleans natives, Carrie Singleton and Christian Stamps. Carrie, I heard this is your third time at The Pelican House.
Carrie: Yes, haha you’re telling on me! Today is my third day. I came back for dessert. Today I had the key lime pie. I had beignets the other night. The night before that, I had peach cobbler. The food is amazing, and I consider myself a foodie. Also, being from New Orleans, and I’m looking for that Creole Cajun food—The Pelican House by far, has been the best place that comes closest to home. It reminds me of home and after coming in here the first time, Louis, his wife, and their staff just feel like family. So, I basically come here for the food and the family.
Amber: Christian, which dish is your favorite and makes you think of home the most?
Christian: I think the dish that makes me think of home the most is the seasoned baked turkey. The reason why I say that one is because back home food is made with detail. It’s nuanced… about the flavor and texture… how it comes off the bone. You eat that dish right there and it makes me wonder if my grandma is back there. So that’s really important for me. Just being in Texas, you know, obviously it’s a great place to grow my career and things like that, but you definitely miss the food. So, The Pelican House has definitely given me a taste of home.
Louis: I’ve seen the Dallas Cowboy players come here all the time. There’s not one show that comes to Dallas—well there’s not many shows that come to Dallas, that have a full variety of artists in that show, that one of those artists doesn’t stop by. And so, we’re so excited that, you know, the word is out, and we just want to give them love.
Amber: Yes, and I can feel it in here. I can definitely feel the love here.
Louis: Yeah, It’s just a little love. And so, you know, it’s like when you’re getting off a plane… when you go to New Orleans. It’s something about the spirit of New Orleans that just makes you feel good.
Amber: It definitely is. It felt like home for me, and I’m a Dallas girl. It feels like home because I’m always embraced whenever I go there. So, what dish makes you think about home the most?
Louis: I probably would say the red beans and rice. Every Monday in New Orleans, we would eat red beans and rice, fried chicken, salad—tellin ya baby, it’s good.
Amber: So, talk to me about who had the best red beans rice recipe in your family.
Louis: There’s no bad red beans and rice recipe. All red bean dishes are different. You may go somebody’s house with more cream, and you may go to somebody’s house and its less cream, okay. You may go to somebody’s house, and they have turkey in it. You may go to somebody’s house, and they just have regular sausage or alligator sausage, you know, that’s what makes New Orleans and our culture so unique. It’s a gumbo of everything. You have a little bit of this, you have a little bit of that, and we don’t throw nothing away. Yeah, it’s like we use it all.
Amber: When it comes to your team—and I know you touched on this—I also met the lovely Ms. Gloria back there. How do you keep the resilience going in your team? How did you build the love in the team that you have here?
Louis: Love them… love them. I love them and I thank them every day because without our Krew—you hear dishes in the background now—One of the good things here is the Krew eat free. It’s not an employee discount. You hungry? Your family hungry? No problem, we will send some food home to your family
Amber: Wow.
Louis: And that’s what it’s supposed to be about. You know, I quite often tell people it’s just food. But the difference is, it’s food with love, that’s made with love and prepared with love. So that’s why every dish here is cooked to order. There’s no microwaves in our kitchen.
Amber: I love that!
Louis: Old folks say, “Real kitchens don’t have microwaves!” Hahaha
Amber: What advice do you have for people in different communities who are rebuilding today and looking for, you know, just anything like words of wisdom and encouragement?
Louis: I will see a couple things. I’d start on probably; by saying, we wouldn’t have made it—but God.
Amber: Amen.
Louis: We wouldn’t had made it… but God. The other thing I would say is New Orleans people are very strong people.
Amber: Yes, y’all are.
Louis: This just made us even strong. Losing everything? When you are sitting back and realize, I got three sets of clothes. I don’t have anything else. I don’t own anything. I don’t have any childhood memories and nothing. You’re a new person. Now you can look at that, and you can wallow in your misery. Or you can say, “This is a new beginning… this is a new beginning. And we are gonna look forward press on.” Okay? And that’s what I would suggest that people move forward and press on. You’re going to be alright. Matter of fact, you are already alright. You’re here. You woke up this morning.
Amber: So that’s the reason to celebrate.
Louis: You hear what I’m tellin you? You gonna make me run around!
Amber: Me too! Well, thank you so much for sitting and chatting with me. I’m just so excited to be here. As I shared earlier, we feel the love, we feel the amazing energy, and the customers don’t want to leave. We don’t want to leave either. Congratulations on a successful business, that brings people in the community and all-around America together.
Louis: The slogan here is, “Where the soul of Louisiana meets the heart of Texas.” I married a Texas woman, and I’m from Louisiana. And the food is the same way. We blend those two loves together. That’s all we can ask for… that’s all we can ask for.
