About Us

Born in the town of Delcambre, LA, Chef Wes was raised in a family that loved cooking Cajun food. His family owned several restaurants as well as a seafood market where he learned the beginnings of a foundation that would shape his cooking techniques and his palate. He spent many days and nights watching his biggest influences cook, his grandparents and parents, helping along the way and soaking up as much as he could. This eventually led him to New Orleans where he attended a 3-year apprenticeship program at Delgado Community College. While in culinary school, he worked at many of the city’s institutions such as Drago’s, Pascal’s Manale, and Mr. B’s Bistro. After completing school he joined the Commander’s Palace team, where he trained under Chef Tory McPhail and remained until Hurricane Katrina hit. One year later, he found himself back at Commander’s Palace and worked his way to Sous Chef, giving him the opportunity to cook at The James Beard House in New York City. Following Commander’s, he transitioned into catering banquets and private events at many of New Orleans’s premier event facilities such as the Marriot Properties, Pat O’Brien’s, and The Balcony Ballroom. After over a decade in catering and banquets he then transitioned into Research and Development where he worked for Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends. During his time at Magic Seasoning Blends, the opportunity arose to be a chef at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, a personal highlight of his career. After honing his skills even further and wanting to focus more on his own food ideas, he took a position as a private chef on a yacht where he was given the full freedom to explore his food creativity. 

In April of 2021 life sent him in another direction. While working in Florida, he suffered a cardiac arrest and found himself in the hospital for 6 months. For the next year he had to push himself daily in physical rehabilitation to get back to what he loved to do, cook. 

Knowing that he was not able to get back into restaurants as he knew it, it was time for him to focus on the next leg of his journey, to have a catering business. Today, with the support of his family, he now owns Cajun Element. Owning this catering business gives him the creative outlet to focus on the Cajun specialties that are in his veins. Where everything from Boudin, Jambalaya, Sauce Piquant, Etouffees, and specialty sausages line the menu. And that’s just to name a few.