Owner-Chef, Michael Liuzza

I was born and raised on a produce farm, Jack Liuzza & Son’s Produce, where I started working as early as I can remember and continued all the way through culinary school in 2007. Growing up on the farm is truly where my culinary journey began. Being surrounded by fresh ingredients every day, and raised as an avid outdoorsman, taught me early on how important quality food really is.

Some of my earliest food memories are tied to family and the outdoors: cleaning fish, rabbits, squirrels, and doves with my PawPaw at an age when most kids weren’t allowed near a knife, much less a gun. Youth weekend deer hunting with all the men in my family felt like a holiday every year. Learning how to skin and quarter a deer is something that’s embedded in my heart and my bones, and it still shapes how I approach food today with respect, intention, and appreciation for where it comes from.

My first restaurant job was at Chookie’s Oyster Bar in 2001, right here, in the same location Buddies stands today. From there, I worked throughout high school in my family’s restaurant, Deke’s Oyster Bar in Amite, Louisiana. I was lucky enough to work side by side with my Uncle Jack in that small kitchen. He’s no longer with us, but I’d give anything for one more dinner rush with him. I often realize how much I learned in that little kitchen without even knowing it at the time.

In 2007, I graduated from the Louisiana Culinary Institute. During school, I worked at Mike Anderson’s, Salvador’s Italian Restaurant, and The Caboose II, experiences that fueled my passion for high-quality meats and butchering. In September 2007, I became the first Executive Chef of Buddies. After several years, I stepped away to help open and develop other restaurants and catering venues, eventually returning to Buddies as the catering chef, and later again as Executive Chef.

In August of 2018, I was honored to purchase Buddies, a place that has been part of my life since the very beginning of my career. Today, Buddies reflects everything that shaped me: family, hard work, respect for ingredients, and food meant to be shared.

Above all else, I’m a proud dad to three beautiful daughters, Everly Sage, Rainey Nicole, and Annley Jaymes, who inspire me every single day.

General Manager, Chelsea Rodriguez

I was born and raised here in Southeast Louisiana. I am the mama to two amazing, hilarious little girls, Aiden and Moxy. I love my daughters more than anything in the world, but man, do I love the restaurant industry. Most people would steer clear of the chaos during the rush hours of a restaurant but I dive headfirst into it! I fell in love with the industry at the age of 18 and ever since, it’s been truly a passion to soak in everything I could about this incredible, wild ride of a career. From front of house to back, I love every bit of this. It was through this industry and the chefs I’ve been lucky enough to work with that I truly learned what food had the potential to be; it isn’t just good ole homecooked meals that bring families together and make happy bellies. Food is also a science, it’s creation, it’s pressure, it’s limitless art in constant motion AND it’s the thing that brings people and families together. In July 2021, I got a new job..but it wasn’t just any job. I became a part of a family that we call Buddies Bar and Grill and my passion for this industry grew into something so much bigger than I ever imagined it could. It wasn’t just a job anymore, it was home, it was where I was meant to be…mise en place. So it’s a pleasure to introduce myself, pull up a chair and stay for a while because Chef Mike and I are ready and waiting to give you a culinary experience like you’ve never had before!