COLUMBUS, Ohio — A central Ohio woman is spreading her love of cajun food and family heritage from her new location in Columbus.

“Our culture is so rich and beautiful and I’ve always been proud of it,” said Janvier Ward, owner of Creole 2 Geaux. 

Ward grew up in central Ohio, but her mom’s maternal side is from New Orleans. 

So she’s always taken pride in creating foods with big flavor, all the way from seafood dishes, to a favorite cajun appetizer, rice-based boudin sausage balls. 

“I just never knew that I’d be able to take it to the next level by learning how to make my mother and grandmother’s dishes. And now here I am and it’s just amazing,” said Ward. 

She and her husband started off with a food truck in 2015, did some catering during the pandemic, and after the popularity grew, there was always hope of a storefront. 

(Photo courtesy of Janvier Ward)

Recently, Ward got that opportunity and opened Creole 2 Geaux, joining a dozen other vendors at the brand new Columbus East Market. 

“For us, being in such a diverse group, I feel like it’s an advantage because people may want a little bit of this, this, this. And everybody gets to be able to experience all of our flavors,” said Ward. 

Ward, a mother of three, said she also felt it necessary to pay homage to her family in a mural because without their guidance, she said she wouldn’t be a chef or business owner. 

(Dennis Biviano/Spectrum News 1)

“In the rails of our painting, if you look hard enough, you’ll see my grandmother’s name, great grandmother,” said Ward. 

She also had a message for her new patrons at East Market who will experience Creole food for perhaps the first time.

“Be excited, open your palate, try a little bit from everywhere,” she said. “We have some great vendors. And when you stop by, please say hi. We love Columbus, we appreciate you guys. You’re who made us who we are.”