Erick Coughlin

Being the son of a sailor, I had the unique experience of living overseas while growing up. Some of my distinct memories from while living in Japan were eating squid on a stick at a food market and enjoying authentic Korean food and various Indian curries. I developed a much different palate than most kids simply because of my life situation that truly shaped my culinary enjoyment.

After looking for various business opportunities in 2008, I came across one unexpectedly. My then wife had been suffering from a variety of health issues. It was determined that she was suffering from food intolerances and allergies. I simply felt it was incumbent upon me to provide quality, good-tasting food for her. As a thank you to her doctors for finally finding some answers to her chronic health issues, I cooked and baked a variety of items for them and their staff. The positiveness of their reaction, realizing I had provided food that was gluten-, dairy-, and egg-free was surprising. The entire staff encouraged me by stating that they had never eaten allergen-friendly food that they could actually enjoy.

What changed my perspective even further was when I baked a cake for a 5-year-old girl who had a severe gluten allergy. Bella had never had a birthday cake which she enjoyed, or that even any of her friends could enjoy, because every other allergen-friendly cake that she had experienced was inedible. After Bella’s birthday celebration, her mother called and left me a long, beautiful, and emotional voicemail. She thanked me for having simply provided a moment that the entire family and her friends could enjoy. Her daughter, for the first time, was able to feel “normal.”  That was the experience that prompted me to dive into opening and owning a restaurant serving allergen-friendly foods.

Having that restaurant was a fulfilling experience. Being thanked daily for just existing was surreal to me. My restaurant opened doors for me to launch a personal chef division. We were grateful for the experience of cooking or providing meals for people who didn’t know how to, who were too busy, or who had strict dietary needs. The timing of this launch was exceptional as the film industry was exploding in Louisiana. I am forever grateful of how this culinary journey has progressed, and I look forward in helping carry the torch here at Honest to Goodness.