Lance Nacio launched Anna Marie Shrimp, his commercial fishing business, in 1997. His acclaim stretches far beyond Louisiana with television appearances on The Food Network, CNN’s Eatocracy, and the TODAY Show with Al Roker. Partnerships with Rouses Supermarkets and Market Umbrella have helped him weather some extremely difficult times and he is constantly innovating. He started selling his catch at a pop up market in Baton Rouge in 2003 which is where I discovered his celebrated Louisiana shrimp and fish. I caught up with him recently at his booth at Red Stick Farmer’s Market, the week before the market switched from walk up service to drive through.

My freezer is always stocked with one pound packages of Lance’s peeled and deveined shrimp. I made his suggested Grilled Shrimp Salad to rave reviews from my family and will run through the ‘Bubba Gump’ ideas to keep these delicious shrimp in regular rotation in my kitchen. Taking a page from his playlist, I cued up some Guns ‘N Roses for this writing session.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Grilled shrimp salad. It’s quick and easy. You can do like Bubba Gump and do all the things with shrimp! It’s so versatile.

What’s your favorite city? I would have to say it’s New Orleans. It’s so rich with food and culture. There is so much history.

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? For the ultimate food experience, go to New Orleans. Big Al’s or Spahr’s Seafood in Des Allemands. It’s the catfish capital of the world!. They have THE BEST catfish platter! It’s a really nice place for a sit down authentic Cajun dinner. You can see pelicans, egrets, seagulls and gators right outside the window.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Not in the fridge, it’s in my freezer. Squid, I’m fixing some now. It came from my boat, Anna Marie.

Who taught you to cook? My mom, and one of my first jobs was as a cook on a tugboat. I learned from some tough Cajuns.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Seafood boil. It’s a community meal. Newspapers out and everyone sits down and enjoys.

What’s on your cooking playlist? I like 80’s rock. Classic rock is my go-to.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee every morning, two cups of dark roast from Community Coffee.

Date night—at home? or out? Preferably at home.

Indispensable kitchen tool? Black iron skillet or pot.

Staple childhood comfort food? We call it sticky chicken. It’s an excellent meal. Seasoned with salt and pepper and browned in pork fat. We ate that growing up a lot.

Ideal grilled cheese? At home I make it on Evangeline bread with a good thick slice of cheddar.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Leah Chase. I have shared a few meals with her, what an awesome experience! She called me the shrimp man. I’d like to do that again.

Best thing you’ve ever eaten in an airport? That’s a tough one! I’ve been through a lot of airports, the food is not really up to par.

Favorite pizza topping? I like a lot of things on pizza. Mushrooms, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, onions. I don’t put seafood on pizza.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Probably at Nicholl’s. They have some really good chefs who volunteer there.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Use leftover bacon grease to start any meal.

Three things next to your stove? A container containing bacon grease, Tony Chachere’s, garlic powder.

What’s your favorite sports team? Saints of course.

Favorite seafood dish? Shrimp and grits. Get it at GW Fins.

Post-crisis silver lining? People are going to be more conscious of where their food comes from. I think It’s gonna be better and stronger when we get through this.

Salad + Shrimp = quick, delicious, nutritious. This one is Lance’s version, with avocado, beets, carrots, and tomatoes, dressed with a ‘shaker jar’ lemon vinaigrette. Freestyle it your way with your market haul. Or wrap the grilled shrimp in tortill… — Salad + Shrimp = quick, delicious, nutritious. This one is Lance’s version, with avocado, beets, carrots, and tomatoes, dressed with a ‘shaker jar’ lemon vinaigrette. Freestyle it your way with your market haul. Or wrap the grilled shrimp in tortillas for shrimp tacos

Grilled Shrimp

A sprinkle of seasoning and a few minutes on the grill turn Anna Marie Shrimp into the star of a quick weeknight meal.

1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp
2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
a swipe of canola oil for the grill

HEAT your grill to medium, about 400 degrees, or a grill pan over medium high flame. Using a heat-proof brush, lightly oil the grill grate of the grill pan with a little canola oil.

SEASON the shrimp while the grill gets hot: Sprinkle both sides of the shrimp with Tony’s (or your favorite seasoning blend).

COOK until the underside turns pink, then turn to cook the second side. Remove from the grill to a clean platter when the inside just turns opaque. This happens fast, about 4 to 5 minutes total. A perfectly grilled shrimp just snaps on the outside with a delicate charred crust and is juicy inside.