Reprise | Louis Petit, Restaurateur

Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy

My guest today on Up In Your Business with Kerry McCoy is Little Rock restaurant royalty, Mr. Louis Petit. Chef Petit’s Arkansas folklore began in 1975, when Jacque and Suzanne Treton decided to bring their European cuisine to Little Rock. Their restaurant was aptly, and now famously, called Jacque and Suzanne’s on the top floor of the First Commercial Bank Building in downtown Little Rock. The Treton’s first order of business was to hire restaurant manager Paul Bash, who wanted a European staff to run the restaurant. This is when he hired Mr. Louis Petit, a Belgian, as Jacque and Suzanne’s first maitre’d. But the Treton’s didn’t stay long. After just two years, they left and sold the up-scale restaurant to Mr. Bash, Mr. Petit, and Mr. Moore who, for the next 10 years, offered fine dining, elegant surroundings, and a view of Little Rock that was unmatched. Louis’ story is a foreigner’s dream. Hearing him speak of his life is a reminder of why America, with all its flaws, is still the land of opportunity, the greatest country in the world, and why the American Dream is still alive and well. Hear the culinary impact that Louis has had on all of our dining experiences and then learn about some of the restaurants he has inspired: Maison Louis, Café Prego, Graffiti’s, Alouettes, and now Petit & Keet and Cypress Social. And my favorite tip of this interview: why he thinks debt is an opportunity for success.