Chef Blake Jackson represented Shreveport-Bossier at Louisiana Cookin’ magazine’s 2026 Chefs to Watch dinner Oct. 8 in Covington, where he served smoked oysters at a celebration featuring six chefs from across Louisiana.
Jackson is the chef behind Mae & Co. and Heron, neighboring restaurants in Shreveport’s Provenance community. The two concepts showcase different approaches to Louisiana cooking, from casual Southern fare to refined dishes combining local ingredients with global techniques.
Jackson returned to Shreveport after earning a degree in foreign policy from the University of Mississippi and working for the U.S. Senate. He launched Drake Catering in 2011 before opening Whisk Dessert Bar, where he developed a following for modern takes on classic desserts…