Marla Chua is part of a growing generation of young female culinary leaders bringing a fresh perspective to the Capital City restaurant scene. As executive chef at Creole Cabana, she’s the brains behind the casual resort-style restaurant’s menu. Developed by Sammy’s Restaurant in summer 2018, it’s a fusion of island flavors and Cajun cuisine.
Chua, who is Filipino, moved with her family to Franklin, Louisiana, as a child, later relocating to Baton Rouge to attend LSU. She waited tables and worked in catering during college, prompting her to shift gears and pursue a culinary arts degree at the Louisiana Culinary Institute. She worked for several years at Zea Restaurant before Sammy’s recruited her to lead Creole Cabana.
225 checked in with Chua about the day-to-day at Creole Cabana, what she cooks at home and the one piece of cooking equipment she can’t live without.
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Read on for the full story from the October 2019 issue of 225.