Small Business Spotlight: Guacaya Bistreaux, Chef and Owner Pedro Wolcott, and General Manager, Louis Tufte
Friday, June 17, 2022 at 3:25AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
Chef Pedro Wolcott Photo credit: Dan Collison
Interested in Latin Caribbean cuisine, with a decided New Orleans influence? Head to Guacaya Bistreaux at 337 Washington Avenue N in the North Loop. We talked to Chef and Owner Pedro Wolcott and General Manager Louis Tufte about the inventive dishes, beautiful ambiance and inspiration for our new dining choice.
Photo credit: Dan CollisonQ: I've read that your new restaurant Guacaya Bistreaux pays tribute to the “El Mercado Victoriano Lorenzo'' neighborhood in Penonome, Panama. Please tell us more about the neighborhood and how it is reflected in the menu and ambiance at Guacaya Bistreaux.
Chef Pedro: Every town in Panama has two things: a mercado (market) and a plaza. Both are gathering places for the community at large. The Mercado highlights the specific foods and traditions for each community. I wanted to take the idea of the food I grew up with and show how it evolved based on all the places I lived on my way to Minnesota – including New Orleans. Food from the communities that have welcomed me, in a space that is inviting, casual and most importantly bright and full of life.
Q: Why did you choose the North Loop as the location for your restaurant?
Chef Pedro: My wife Alex and I live in the North Loop, it's where we decided to raise our kids. If I was going to open a restaurant, it was going to be in the neighborhood I live in. Much like the mercado reflects all aspects of the community that lives there, I wanted the North Loop restaurant to reflect the diversity of its residents. I also wanted to bring a new style of dining to the North Loop, making sure it was accessible to all. The patio overlooks the historic Washington bridge – we hope our customers will enjoy the experience and location as much as we do.
Crawfish pies
Pescado Frito
La Loba Rosada Q: What's a must try dish on the menu that many people might over look?
A: This is such a hard choice because I would hate for anything to be overlooked. I think two dishes that represent my journey through cooking are the crawfish pies and the Pescado Frito. Crawfish pies are a staple of New Orleans, which is where I spent a large part of my career, it's also where I met my wife. The Pescado Frito is a whole fried fish, and is very much a reflection of my childhood. Growing up surrounded by the ocean, whole fish was a staple.
Q: How are you marketing Guacaya Bistreaux to stand out among the many choices a restaurant customer has in Minneapolis?
Louis: Our greatest marketing tool is our customers. We are focusing on making sure every dish, cocktail and experience is something people have not experienced dining out in Minneapolis. We also wanted to make sure that our space was bright and inviting. From our full wall mirrors and paintings from a local Panamanian artist, Alfonso Guareia, to a specialty piece made for us by Doctor John, straight from New Orleans – we aim to delight our customers.
Chillin' out on the patio Photo credit: Dan Collison
Q: Please tell us about the recent Grand Opening. How may we follow your news?
Louis: Our opening was more than we could have hoped for. We were excited to finally reveal our patio, for all those warm summer nights and to meet our North Loop neighbors. The best way to follow us is our social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook), that's where we debut our latest dishes, or our bar manager Stef Tupy’s Sunday special cocktails. Our website also shows all of our upcoming events.
