A true restaurant entrepreneur, Johnny is no stranger to the business. As a graduate of Louisiana Tech, it was nearly fate to open Ponchatoulas in the heart of downtown Ruston in 1996. Ponchatoulas is proof of his original passion for serving customers with great, down-home cuisine and a good time. In 1999, he took Chris ‘Moose’ Garriga — then a college student and line cook at the restaurant — under his wing and taught him the ropes of the business, food preparation, and customer services, leading to Chris’ introduction as co-owner in 2004. Now, two restaurants and a HVAC company later, Johnny and his partner, Chris, have centralized their ventures to Ruston and are true staples in the community and for those traveling through. Their partnership now results in the success of these operations, but it is the true friendship formed on passion for the restaurant business in 2004 that propels the three ventures forward. Away from work, Johnny is a husband, father to his two sons, and self-proclaimed workaholic, escaping for the outdoors much like his business partner.