WILLIAMSBURG — A Williamsburg resident is bringing the taste of his native Louisiana to New Town, as Keland’s Louisiana Seafood Grab & Go officially opened its doors on June 15.
Keland Harrison, the force behind Keland’s Louisiana Seafood, a full-service bar and grill concept in Newport News, grew up in Abbeville, Louisiana near the Gulf of Mexico. Influenced by the cooking of his family, he quickly developed a passion for cooking himself.
“I started off cooking eggs. And then just watching my mother — smothering pork chops, smothering chicken, watching how she was doing it, and then I picked up on it. By 9 or 10 years old I was making full course meals.” Keland said.
Keland moved to the Williamsburg area from Louisiana, eventually working for Busch Gardens as the Kitchen Manager for Trapper’s Smokehouse and Das Festhaus.
“When I moved out here my mother was here with one of my cousins that was military. Her husband was military and that was in 2000. Me and my wife came to visit and we liked it. I was a manager for Walmart for about 10 years and then I wound up leaving Walmart and going with Busch Gardens.” Keland explained.
During that time, Keland received 3 culinary arts degrees. In the summer of 2019, while out trying different seafood restaurants in the area, it became evident that he couldn’t find Louisiana cooking like his mom and grandma used to make back home.
“In 2019, I said I’ll take a chance on myself. And that’s what I did.” Keland said.
Keland’s is open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, offering carry-out and delivery through mobile dash sites, and is closed on Monday. For more information about the menu, check out its website or visit Keland’s in the New Town shops.
