A mayor who still keeps a hand in the restaurant? That combination sounds impossible until you meet Jan Scott Richard, the Mayor of Scott, Louisiana and the owner of Cajan's. Sitting down at Sunday Soda Fountain, we follow the path from growing up in Scott to chasing soccer all the way to Milwaukee and Tallahassee, then returning home with a clearer idea of what a strong community can look like.
We dig into the real-life mechanics of building a local restaurant in the middle of the Acadiana food scene: taking what worked from a deli background, adapting it to Cajun culture, and protecting traditions like a 1942 chili recipe that lives on through the Original Scott Boudin hot dog. Jan also explains why Cajan's thrives as a Monday through Friday breakfast and lunch spot and how staying present with regular customers keeps the place grounded.
From there, the conversation turns to local leadership, transparency, and why he believes local politics should be where politics starts and ends. We talk flood history and flood mitigation, including practical drainage work like channel cleaning, culverts, and roadside ditches, plus a standout public-private partnership that helped create a major retention pond and public amenity in record time. We also get into soccer coaching, raising kids who want to lead in their own way, and the behind-the-scenes story of how Boudin Fest grew into a regional attraction after Scott earned the “Boudin Capital of the World” designation.
If you care about Scott Louisiana, Lafayette culture, Cajun food, small business, community leadership, drainage solutions, or Boudin Fest, this one connects it all. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, share this with a friend who loves Acadiana, and leave a review telling us what topic you want next.
The podcast was made possible through partnerships with Rouses Supermarket, Logic Refrigeration HVAC, Ounce of Hope, Cajun Table, Vermilionville, Soul Haus Kitchen, Chris Logan Media, and Sunday Soda Fountain – proving that when a community rallies around celebrating local food culture, amazing things happen. Subscribe now to join this delicious adventure and become part of the movement that's transforming Lafayette's food scene one bite at a time!
learn more: foodiesoflafayette.com
