ST. LANDRY PARISH — The aroma of simmering sauce piquant and the sound of spoons stirring filled the air on Sunday as cooks gathered for the 7th annual St. Peter’s Church Hen Sauce Piquant Cook off. The much-anticipated event brought together 22 local cooks from in and around the town, each putting their own unique spin on the beloved Cajun dish.
“I have some hen sauce piquant with a little Cajun twist, and some love—it’s a little bit of everything,” said participant Chance Fontenot, smiling as he tended to his creation.
For many, like Lindsay Cutchall, the event is about more than just good food.
“It supports our community, and it gives the next generations an appreciation of how we cook and how we were raised. This is all made with love, without a doubt,” she said. Cutchall, now entering her second cook off, spoke of the family traditions that inspire her: “We’re from the South, so cooking is a big thing. I always watched my parents, and one day I was like, I’ll try this out. Now I’ve started entering a bunch of cook offs.”
But while the competition is friendly and the focus on heritage is strong, this year’s cook off was motivated by a greater purpose. In March, an EF-2 tornado struck the area, causing significant damage to St. Peter’s Church and two other buildings.
“Our community has been hit pretty hard,” said organizer Rhonda Deshotels. “The building is very old, and in the spring, we got hit by a tornado. All the proceeds from the cook off will go towards restoring the church and the other two buildings—so our children and grandchildren will still have a place to come to worship.”
Deshotels expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support: “When you see everyone here, you see the love for the church. It makes me a little emotional, because the growth of this cook off over the last seven years has grown—and seeing all these people—it’s mind-blowing.”
Thanks to community efforts and events like the cook off, renovations to the church have already been completed. However, there is still work to be done to restore the directory and church office. Organizers and attendees hope that with continued support, the rebuilding process will be finished soon—ensuring that St. Peter’s remains a vibrant center for faith and fellowship for generations to come.
