Banner year for Dustin Staggers

For many online cooking school students, gathering enough education, resource, capital and experience to open one restaurant is a considerable achievement. For others, the sky’s the limit when it comes to professional success and innovation in the culinary space. That seems to be the case for Dustin Staggers, a Louisville-based chef who has had what can only be described as a massively successful year in the Kentucky city. According to the Louisville Business Journal, Staggers has started not one, not two, but three separate restaurants in one year.

Near the beginning of the year, Staggers was already doing quite well for himself. He was an executive chef at The Monkey Wrench, a popular Louisville restaurant located on Barrett Avenue in the city’s downtown district. Staggers had bigger dreams, though, and left the position to open a new project. His first restaurant, a New Orleans-inspired project known as Roux, opened in autumn. The eatery has gotten off to a hot start, becoming a popular hit among Louisville diners. The Courier-Journal has indicated that the restaurant has gained favor with many patrons due to its mix-and-match menu that allows for a wide array of taste experiences in one visit.

Barely a month later, Staggers joined forces again with chef Griffin Paulin to open his second project, an Asian restaurant known as Rumplings. For many people, two restaurants in one calendar year would be an unfathomable feat, but Staggers has pushed this even further by announcing plans for a third concept in Louisville to open in the spring. His next restaurant is cloaked in mystery, as he’s refusing to reveal the genre or name of the establishment. Nonetheless, one can imagine that Louisville restaurant enthusiasts are on the edge of their seats.