Maitland ‘Spuddy’ John Faucheux III
Spuddy was born the year the Sputnik was launched. He was nicknamed Sputnik, which turned into Spuddy. At the age of 5, when he was ready to go school, he had to be taught his name was not Spuddy, but Maitland.
Spuddy attended the public schools of St. Charles Parish, graduating from Destrehan High School. Four years later he graduated from Nicholls State University with a BS in Computer Science.
In 1981, Spuddy married Elaine Hymel from Vacherie. They have 3 daughters Erin married to Michael Becnel, Heather, and Mandy, married to Carson Allen.
After College, Spuddy worked for 10 years as a Computer Programmer and Project Manager.
In 1991 Spuddy switched careers, going into sales working for Economical Janitorial and Paper Supplies. He told his friends he was going from Computer Programmer to Selling Toilet Paper.
On December 7, 1993, Spuddy purchased Folse Seafood and Meat Market. From the time he was picking tomatoes in the fields at 8 years old, Spuddy knew he was one day going to be an Entrepreneur. The dream started at a very young age. Now the dream was being fulfilled.
Spuddy turned a little country grocery store/meat market/seafood market into what is known today as Spuddy’s Cajun Foods. In 1993, there was no restaurant in Vacherie where a family could dine in and have a meal. He was the first one to bring this back to Vacherie since the late 1980’s.
In 1999, Spuddy’s purchased Mr. and Mrs. Folse’s house next door and tied it into the meat market turned restaurant (this explains the bath tub in the bathroom).
Besides the restaurant, Spuddy’s specializes in Catering and Smoked Meats. Spuddy’s caters to the local people, businesses, and industry throughout the River Parishes.
Spuddy’s smoked meats consist of Andouille, Sausage, Turkey Necks, and Pork Neck Bones. Spuddy’s Andouille and Smoked Sausage contain no MSG or fillers. It’s all natural.
When Spuddy purchased Folse’s place, he had no prior knowledge of running a restaurant. Never worked in a restaurant, didn’t know a chef or how to be one, never was taught any culinary skills.
While on the road selling paper and janitorial supplies, Spuddy called on many restaurants, nursing homes, and hotels. When calling on them, he always found his way to the kitchen to talk with anyone cooking. Every time Spuddy went into a kitchen, he felt his passion growing for this business.
When Spuddy started his business, he had no knowledge of cooking, running a restaurant, making and smoking sausage, NONE. With pure desire, willingness to listen and learn, no fear of changes or failing, being open minded to ideas, Spuddy began a new career in this exciting business.
Over the last10 years, Spuddy has seen business decline significantly, losing 65 percent of our traffic.
Also, from 2014 thru 2019 Spuddy was taking care of his dad at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home in Reserve, La. His dad had Alzheimer’s for almost 20 years. Every Monday thru Friday Spuddy would leave his business at 1pm and spend 5-7 hours feeding and taking care of his dad. While at the home, he would help other veterans at the home and help families adjust to having a loved one in the home.
While at the home with his dad in summer 2018, Spuddy meets Robyn Tanner, a New Orleans native in town from Switzerland visiting her dad in the same Alzheimer’s unit. He invites her to come cook a Jambalaya in his kitchen early one Monday morning. When they're done, she tells him “what I did in your kitchen today other people would love to do with you as well, you know, cook Cajun food with a real Cajun chef!' Brought together by Alzheimer’s, two people living on opposite ends of the world meet, and develop an idea over cast iron pots of jambalaya, while loading a smoker or hand making Cajun Andouille. The Cajun Cooking Experience is born! She goes back to Switzerland with a recipe for Cajun Andouille, and he devotes his time to crafting a truly unique experience.
The Cajun Cooking Experience gives people the chance to feel the Cajun Cooking Culture. The how’s and why’s in Cajun Cooking. Cajun isn’t about only one style of cooking. It’s using your imagination to create a dish. How Cajuns come together with other cultures to create dishes. How we love to party with our friends.
Learn about Cajun Traditions. How we lived, survived, worked, and played.