Fresh Concept Coming to Bay

Big Buzz Breaking News

Award-winning chef David Dickensauge of C&C's Italian Bistro will open the Ugly Carrot this summer - an artisan juice bar with fresh local produce and meals to go. 
- story by Lisa Monti, photos courtesy David Dickensauge

"Chef David" at C&C's Italian Bistro. The chef is opening a new food business in Bay St. Louis Old Town.

Chef David Dickensauge is bringing something unique to Bay St. Louis that’s sure to please folks who care about fresh, sustainable, healthy food. The bad news is, you’re going to have to wait three months. But the chef says it’s going to be worth it.
 
The Ugly Carrot will be a combination of artisan juice bar and  produce market that will open in August on the second floor of Century Hall (112 Second St.) Think of it as a mini Whole Foods, with food to go and with the emphasis on those juices.

“We will have 12 to 15 artisan juices made from locally sustainable fruits and vegetables,” Dickensauge said. Four kinds of Kombucha, a fermented tea drink, will be on the menu.

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​Working with the chef in the new juice bar will be Jeff Jordan, who just stepped down as head football coach at St. Stanislaus. Jordan, who played football at LSU, has experience in strength and conditioning and can help customers with creating healthy eating plans and healthy, tasty juices.
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Dickensauge, a devotee to naturally grown foods that are more about flavor than looks, came up with the unusual name.

A naturally grown carrot, the inspiration for the juice bar's name

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Dickensauge will use his connections with about 15 farmers who sell to C&C Italian Bistro, his sustainable restaurant at 111 Main St., to stock The Ugly Carrot. 

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Shoppers at the Ugly Carrot will be able to buy eggs, cheese, butter and milk along with fresh produce including tomatoes, lettuce, squash from local farms in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, along with prepared foods. Customers also can preorder items for pick up.
 
“We’ll have vegan and vegetarian to-go salads and sandwiches made in the restaurant,” he said. Everything will be all plant based, with no meat in sight.
 
Among the sources will be the highly regarded Covey Rise Farms in Louisiana and renowned The Chef’s Garden. “I’m a big activist for sustainable, local products,” Dickensauge said. “I have to know where my produce is coming from.”
 
Dickensauge calls The Ugly Carrot “a cool concept” that’s a perfect fit for Old Town Bay St. Louis. “It’s not just a juice bar. It’s the missing niche here.”

Century Hall in Old Town will be headquarters for the new Ugly Carrot, opening in about three months. photo by Ellis Anderson