Wilford Lively has strong family ties to cooking.

Growing up, Wilford, a Jeanerette native, was surrounded by cooking. He learned a lot from his family, mainly his dad. But more importantly, his grandmother, Lillian Robinson, known better as “Lil”who was a legend in the Jeanerette community with her restaurant Lil’s Kitchen.

After her passing, Wilford was inspired by his grandmother to keep the traditions of her cooking alive. After starting his own business where he cooked and sold boiled seafood out of the family home in 2019, where he saw immediate success.

“His business grew very fast, very quickly,” Kacie Lively, Wilford’s wife said. “It was very big.”

From crabs, to crawfish and everything in between, his plate lunches were the next big hit. Seeing such rapid growth, Lively soon opened up a food truck of the same name. And after that became a hit, he opened up Boolin’s House of Flavor in New Iberia.

“It’s been growing ever since,” she said.

Their seafoods are just a part of what makes Boolin’s House of Flavor so good and so familiar to so many.

Located at 505 W Admiral Doyle St, Boolin’s House of Flavor is famous for their sour pot, a dish that consists of boiled pig feet, tripe, turkey necks, corn, sausage and potatoes. They are seasoned with his own blend of spices. His sour pots are sold Wednesday through Saturday.

But you have to get yours early, because Kacie said they sell out pretty quickly.

“He sells out every single time,” she said. “My favorite is the turkey necks and it’s a flavor you can’t find anywhere else.”

Their menu isn’t set, so you can expect to taste something new every time you come in. Except for the sour pots. Those are here to stay. If you want to see what is on the menu that day, Boolin’s House of Flavor is constantly updating their Facebook page with what is on the menu. .

People have come far and wide to taste his cooking. From Texas, Lake Charles all the way to New Orleans, Boolin’s House of Flavor has established itself as a stable in the New Iberia community.

Aside from the sour pots, WIlfod and Boolin’s House of Flavor has plate lunches, including a smothered okra dish, stews and a lot of home cooked meals.

“The good stuff that you were raised on if you were raised from here,” Kacie said. “Its the food that your grandmother cooked.”

Wilford is inspired each and everyday he cooks. His mother, Mandy Robinson is his biggest supporter along with the rest of his family, and that’s what keeps him going. Having his grandmother as a mentor and hero makes his job that more special. He enjoys what he does and who he does it for.

As he worked in her shop going up and saw how she loved what she did and who she did it for, WIlford said he knew one day he would want the same. All these years later, he is doing just that. He is creating dishes and memories that would have made Lil proud.

Their stories aren’t that different. And the two have an everlasting bond that goes far beyond a plate of good.

“Just watching her do it, it’s inspiring,” WIlford said. “Her story is like mine. She started out of her house until she finally got her own place.”