After more than six years cultivating a following at The Overpass Merchant, chef Jonathan Breaux is transitioning from the front line to the front office.
In June, Breaux was named director of culinary operations for Solera and Bin 77, two popular Baton Rouge concepts owned by restaurateurs Brian and Tiffany Dykes and Linda and Kelwin Clark.
“This transition has been great,” says Breaux, 36. “I’ve always been a hands-on chef, but this has given me the opportunity to really get my creative juices flowing.”
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Bin 77 serves elevated American cuisine, while Solera focuses on tapas and Spanish-inspired entrees. Breaux will work closely with Bin 77 executive chef Craig Culpepper and Solera executive chef Evan Theriot, as well as the restaurants’ four certified sommeliers, to introduce new dishes.
Breaux says he’s seeing a shift away from traditional Baton Rouge dishes, like crabmeat-topped fish, and a growing interest in smaller plates and trendier flavors. His initial focus will be to introduce new menu items at Bin 77.
The longtime Perkins Rowe eatery sees large weekend crowds in its main dining room, covered patio and a detached dining space, the Sidebar. Bin 77 best-sellers like steak and gruyere flatbread; the Bin Burger; and Creole Devils on Horseback (dates stuffed with andouille and boudin) won’t change. But they will be joined by fresh additions that reflect Breaux’s interest in global cuisine.
Coming soon are shrimp toast; a dim sum dish made with deep-fried bread slathered in shrimp paste; tuna carpaccio that Breaux tops with veal mayonnaise and arugula salad (a reversal of traditional veal tonnato); homemade gravlax; vegan cauliflower steak (shown above); and fresh fish with carrot farro risotto and carrot green gremolata (shown above). The restaurant will also introduce an updated lunch menu with lighter options, Breaux says.
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When he’s not at work, Breaux likes to cook and garden with his girlfriend, Shea Smith, a program manager at the Three O’Clock Project, a Baton Rouge nonprofit that provides nutritional meals to at-risk students when school’s not in session. Breaux jokes that the couple operates on opposite ends of the food spectrum, with Smith squeezing value out of every dollar to feed kids in need, while he’s about encouraging diners to splurge. At their Garden District home, the two like to recreate recipes from their travels, including regular restaurant research trips to New Orleans.
“She’s probably a better cook than I am,” Breaux laughs. “I’m not kidding.” bin77.com and solerabr.com
This article was originally published in the August 2022 issue of 225 magazine.