Cast Iron

Both chefs routinely attend cooking classes in
New Orleans at the New Orleans Cooking
Experience with famous chefs such as Frank
Brigsten of Brigsten’s, Ken Smith of
Upperline, and Gerard Maras, formerly of
Gerards’s. They have also attended class at
the Viking Cooking School in Greenwood,
Mississippi. Like most self-taught chefs, Mary
Ellen and Jenny Lou learned most lessons at
home with their mothers, grandmothers,
aunts and cousins.

The Cast Iron chefs now offers many different
casseroles in all sizes to a growing and
devoted clientele, and spend up to six days a
week preparing standard weekly selections of
over thirty items, including best-selling dishes
such as Chicken Lasagna Florentine, Company
Shrimp, Monterey Chicken, and gourmet
Macaroni and Cheese.

*Some of the pictures on this site were taken by photographer Eric Lincoln in Mary Ellen’s private home and kitchen area, where Cast
Iron Catering’s business affairs and cooking are handled. Plans for expansion and the opening of a new café are being considered.

Cast Iron Catering started in May 2007, when Mary
Ellen Brown decided to leave her current information
technology job and turn her love of cooking into
something more than just fancy dinners for the family.
Three months later, she was whipping up baked
dishes and desserts for clients all over Richland
Parish and Monroe, Louisiana. Her kitchen became so
busy that she brought in her aunt and experienced
pastry cook, Jenny Lou Bird, to take over the desserts
and assist with the casseroles and catering jobs. Jenny
Lou also has experience as a personal chef in
Houston, TX.

The casseroles and special orders keep them busy on
a day-to-day basis, of course, but Mary Ellen and
Jenny Lou really love the custom group catering jobs
that let them express their creativity and attention to
detail.

About half of Cast Iron catering customers drop by
and personally pick up their orders. The chefs enjoy
visits and talking to customers, but kindly ask that
pick-ups are made during normal weekday business
hours whenever possible, so that their nights and
weekends can be devoted to family.

Thank you for choosing us. Please email compliments
or suggestions and we’ll get back to ya’ll as soon as
we finish cooking!