Posted by Celeste Chachere

So, sitting at my desk this morning, it hit me: Friday marks my two-year anniversary date working here at Tony Chachere’s. Where has the time gone? It seems impossible that it was more than two years ago that I was turning the tassel on my graduation cap to the left side at the University of Texas.

Toto, we’re not in Austin anymore.

At the time, I wasn’t so sure about moving back home and working for the family business. Austin had opened up a whole new world to me outside of Opelousas, LA. New friends, new hobbies, new outlook on life, and I was starting to put down roots. And Tony Chachere’s felt like more of a pre-destination than a calling – I wanted to start my own legacy, not further someone else’s .

But then a couple of things happened that completely changed my direction: The recession made my most viable job opportunities disappear, and I decided I deserved a break. I had graduated from UT on time with three concentrations after elbowing my way there by becoming valedictorian of my high school class. I was tired, and I was ready to cash in some vacation days. So hey, why not head home for a year or two, figure out the whole grad school thing, spend some quality time with my family, and EAT EVERYTHING WITHIN REACH? ..Yup, sounds good.

So I did.  By July after graduation I was in a new apartment 40 minutes away from home/work and carrying a box of knickknacks into my spiffy new office.

21 and ready to take on the world.

(In the spirit of honesty, that picture was actually taken a month or so ago. Things clearly haven’t changed much since that first week on the job.)

I quickly fell into a routine. My new job in marketing & development was awesome because I literally got to create it for myself. My opportunities  were up to me – when I thought a Tailgate Tour sounded like something we should be doing, my feedback was “Awesome, make it happen!” Hmm, we should really be ramping up our social media efforts and teaming with new partners. “Go out and get ‘em!”

It’s the dream job, right?  Well before you get too jealous, I should mention that my boss is my dad. That means he’s also my biggest supporter, and at times, my biggest critic. Working in a family business means learning boundaries: you can’t take the job home with you. Conversely, you can’t let what happens at home affect you at work. You just have to love the people you work with and love what you do, and if you can manage that, the rest will fall into place..

The Chachere Family, 1990

(In case you’re wondering, I’m the kid on my mom’s hip in that spiffy little Suri Cruise outfit allllll the way to the left. Mr, Tony, or “PawCaw” as we affectionately called him, is down front rocking the white suit.)

Leaving Louisiana to further my education was the best decision I have ever made, because it allowed me to discover who I was independent of my family and my comfort zone. Those four years I spent away also made me appreciate coming home that much more, and because I had become secure in who I was and my self-worth, I was also ready to become a part of something bigger. I wanted to keep our way of life alive by telling the story of southern Louisiana through my family and the food we’ve passed down from generation to generation.

Fast forward to today, two years into this unexpected yet instinctive career that has provided me so many experiences and responsibilities that most twenty-somethings only dream of.  Do I still think of this job or living in this state as a blip on the radar, a transition phase in my life? You gotta be kidding me. I recognize a blessing when I see one.

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