CASPER, Wyo. — For roughly three years, Casper-area residents have been able to get a taste of cuisine straight from the bayou, courtesy of local food truck J & D’s Cajun Kitchen. However, Sunday marked the last day that locals were able to enjoy their dishes, as the food truck’s owners are heading back to Louisiana.
The family-owned food truck said farewell to Casper with an appearance at Frontier Brewing, closing the book on a successful stint in the local culinary scene.
“We’ve been doing [the food truck] for three years, but we’ve been living in Casper for about 10 years now,” said Josh Boutte, who founded the business alongside his wife Dia in 2021. “It’s been an amazing experience and we’re just so thankful.”
Boutte said they decided to start their food truck after noticing a distinct lack of authentic Cajun cuisine in the area. Customers responded almost immediately, and J & D’s built up a faithful customer base fairly quickly.
Recently, however, a job offer arose in the family’s home state of Louisiana that Josh couldn’t turn down. The shift is bittersweet, as Boutte said their happiness at returning to their home state is tempered by the love they’ve developed for Wyoming, and Natrona County in particular.
“These past three years have been amazing,” he said. “We’re definitely going to miss it.”
Looking to the future, Boutte said he hopes to one day return to the food industry and revitalize the J & D’s truck, though he is unsure of when that will be.
And as he prepares to leave Casper, Boutte encouraged someone to pick up the mantle.
“I’ll just say that there’s a hole opening up,” he said with a smile. “I’d love to see someone step up and fill the Cajun food niche here in Casper.”
