Jacques Balette didn’t launch Simply Boiled to make a quick buck—he built it to bring a slice of Louisiana culture to North Texas.
An SMU student and entrepreneur, Balette runs the Dallas arm of Simply Boiled, a crawfish catering company he franchised after high school.
What started as a backyard hobby in 2015 grew into a full-fledged business that now caters events in Dallas, Houston and most recently, Austin.
“I grew up boiling crawfish with my family in Baton Rouge,” Balette said. “So being able to do something I love for work—that’s a dream.”
But the dream didn’t take off overnight. Balette struggled in his first year trying to find his footing in the Dallas market.
It wasn’t until he shifted his marketing approach that Simply Boiled began to gain traction.
“We had to rethink how we were presenting ourselves,” Balette said. “Once we figured that out, things really started to click.”
Simply Boiled sets itself apart by offering on-site crawfish boils, replicating the authentic, communal experience of a Louisiana backyard party.
The company also offers beignets and Louisiana-style snowballs, making it more than just a crawfish operation.
Still, at the center of it all is the culture.
“The secret to a perfect boil is the environment,” Balette said. “Good food, good music and sitting around with friends and family. That’s what we try to recreate every time.”
Despite eating crawfish nearly every weekend, Balette still enjoys it.
“It doesn’t get old,” he said. “This is something I care about.”
Balette said his company sets itself apart by offering mobile crawfish boils across Texas.
“We’re one of the only crawfish catering companies in the DFW area,” Balette said. “We bring the boil to you—your home, your neighborhood, even corporate events.”
Former customer Morgan McGeorge vouched for the flavor and authenticity.
“It was very good,” McGeorge said. “Spicy, well-cooked and impressive considering Jacques is balancing school at the same time.”
Balette juggles a full college course load with weekends packed full of boils.
During the week, he handles logistics, including emails, invoicing and scheduling. On weekends, he hauls crawfish from Mesquite and sets up at parties across Dallas.
“It’s all about preparing ahead,” Balette said. “If I know I’ve got a boil Saturday, I carve out time during the week to get everything ready.”
His team includes two close friends, Jacob Bruser and Hank Johnson, with others pitching in as needed.
While Balette welcomes extra hands, he admits the hardest part is managing finances.
“Boiling crawfish isn’t cheap,” Balette said. “As a student, money isn’t always there, so you have to be careful with every expense.”
Balette is eager to expand Simply Boiled and said he’d love to buy a trailer, storage units, and more boiling equipment. All investments that would streamline operations and support expansion.
And expansion is already happening: Simply Boiled recently launched in Austin and continues to grow in Houston.
To book a boil, customers can reach Balette on Instagram at @simplyboiled.dtx or email him at [email protected].
