Who We Are

I Am Michael Luke, Sr.

I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, and I was blessed to come from a family of great cooks. Southern soul food means a lot to my family. We were taught early on that cooking and sharing a good meal is how we showed our love for one another.

My paternal grandmother, Dessie — we called her Honey — told me that as a child in the sharecropping fields, all they had was what they could grow or trade for with the other families. They would gather together after the crops were harvested and have a big meal. Everyone brought whatever they had to contribute. These meals were what people looked forward to. They were prepared with love.

Most of what we know as comfort food can be traced back to that simpler time. I listened to great cooks in my family and learned the stories they told. I never saw a cookbook until I was a teenager. My folks cooked from memory and passed down recipes by word of mouth. Some of the best recipes, unfortunately, were buried with family members that have passed on. I've tried for the last 25 years to collect as many of my family's recipes as I can find.

I absolutely love to cook for family and friends, and I've been cooking for others for over 30 years. I spent several years as a caterer in Shreveport, and learned how to serve meals for large numbers of people because of the decade I spent learning institutional cooking. I also have several years of fast food restaurant management experience.

I feel as though cooking and sharing a meal is also a way to honor the loved ones that have gone on. It is my passion and my pleasure.

Authentic comfort food with a little Louisiana flavor, made with love, that warms the soul. Welcome to Luke's Soul Food Café — where Big Mike feeds you right!