Growing up in Eunice, Chef Drake Leonards recalls being surrounded by great cooks and eating classic Louisiana dishes in every season. “I grew up like most of the folks I know, sharing meals in the homes of family and friends. We had simmering pots of seafood gumbo with warm potato salad, wild ducks or smothered venison roast in the winter, fried speckled trout, frog legs and crawfish étouffée in the spring, and plenty of vegetables in the summer. I first tasted lamb at a Tuesday night supper, not in a fancy restaurant,” Leonards remembers.
After earning a bachelor of science with a focus in culinary arts from Nicholls State University, Chef Drake worked in New York and spent two years cooking in Germany. “My time in Europe reinforced the old world techniques that were similar to the ones I saw growing up. The ingredients that we cooked with were as local and seasonal as anything I had seen,” said Leonards.
He now lives in Houston, at the head of Eunice Restaurant, an exciting venture named after his hometown, which he partnered with a hospitality group to develop in 2016.
“It was always a dream to share my Cajun inspired food, so I have always been grateful for the opportunity to share my food with Houstonians,” Leonards said. Houston has embraced Eunice Restaurant with open arms, bestowing an OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award in 2020 and many rave reviews.
“The menu at Eunice has Louisiana roots, which has always evolved around the best local and seasonal ingredients,” said Leonards. “We buy as many products from Texas and Louisiana farmers and ranchers as we can, but we also incorporate ingredients inspired by the diversity of the city.”
The menu at Eunice has Louisiana roots, which has always evolved around the best local and seasonal ingredients. We buy as many products from Texas and Louisiana farmers and ranchers as we can, but we also incorporate ingredients inspired by the diversity of the city.
— Executive Chef Drake Leonards, Eunice Restaurant
“Take our hand pulled burrata, an Italian cheese that is imported from Italy that we pair with a fermented Korean pepper jelly, Choupique caviar from the waters of the Atchafalaya basin and the best buttermilk biscuit we could make. This dish represents everything we’re doing both in sourcing and inspiration.”
Chef Leonards is proud to be surrounded by a talented team that continues to push the restaurant forward and help it to constantly evolve.
“We have a team of dynamic young chefs, servers, bartenders and managers that are eager to raise the bar ... We will continue to merge rural and refined, classic and contemporary, in the cuisine, cocktails and ambience.”
Leonards says the dining ambience at Eunice is special — “the amazing natural light that shines through the canopy of live oaks is like nothing you’ve seen before.”
“We pair flavors of Louisiana with European techniques influenced by the best seafood, meat and produce sourced from the Texas and Louisiana Coast have to offer.”
Chef Leonards’ work at Eunice is a culmination of his Louisiana roots and various culinary experiences he’s accumulated throughout his career.