Ben Mouton’s name is like a permanent mark on the Bayou’s soul. Born in ’75, New Orleans wasn’t just some dot on a map for him—it’s the lifeblood pumping through him, straight from his parents, Janice and Al, both true NOLA folks. You’d find him out there fishing the waters, hunting in the marshes, or digging into some real Cajun cooking, and that’s where his heart lit up. For Ben, the service world and that unmistakable Louisiana spice weren’t just hobbies—they were family, pure and simple.
Here’s a delicious tidbit: The Mouton legacy goes beyond Ben. For over six decades, McKenzie’s bakeries were a Southern Louisiana treasure, a crown jewel of the Mouton family. Think fluffy king cakes and buttermilk drops so good they’d make you smile. It wasn’t just a bakery—it was an institution. But after Ben’s grandfather passed, they sold it, and that sweet chapter closed like the final crumb of a beloved pastry vanishing from the plate.
Ben’s a Texas boy through and through, raised under wide-open skies, but his soul’s tuned to the jazzy pulse of New Orleans’ French Quarter. A Bastrop high school grad, he earned his Eagle Scout stripes, ran the student council, and lit up the Bastrop Opera House as a theater standout. Now, he’s swapped stage lights for the steamy, spice-laden lanes of NOLA’s food scene. His life’s a bold, bubbling gumbo—brimming with flavor, heart, and a dash of Southern magic.
Picture a 15-year-old Ben, up to his elbows in dish suds at La Fuentes in Bastrop, scrubbing plates like his life depended on it. Fast forward a bit, and he’s throwing himself into the culinary world—first in San Marcos, then leveling up at Delgado Culinary School in New Orleans. He’s no run-of-the-mill guy; he’s got that Bourbon Street hustle in his bones and the smooth, old-school vibe of Arnaud’s in his blood.
In ‘99, Ben landed in Austin, and fate served up a BBQ twist at Earl Campbell’s, where he met Rachel—his spice, his match. They hopped through Austin Java, Apple, and Sherlock’s Pub. Then, in 2012, Moody’s Breakfast House in Leander became his. By March, it was Mouton’s Southern Bistro, growing into Mouton’s Bistro & Bar in Cedar Park by 2018.
These days, Ben’s more than a chef—he’s a storyteller, a Cedar Park rock since ‘06. With Rachel by his side, their kids, Cade and Colette, inspire his best recipes, little muses stirring the pot. Family’s everywhere—in the kitchen, around the table—and Ben’s gratitude flows deep, like the Mississippi after a rain. That’s the rich, hearty story of Ben Mouton, folks.