COOL JOBS: Derrick & Paul – Event Planners

by Kerri Cooke

Derrick and Paul have been a well-known secret in the wedding business for years. Now, they are the exclusive caterers for the Calcasieu Marine National Bank. However, to label them as simple caterers would be a disservice to the work they do, which far exceeds your average food service. Inspired by diverse cuisine and European design, Derrick and Paul, expanding under the name D|P|R for Derrick Guidry, Paul Picheloup, and Ryan Jett, provides restaurant quality fare while also attending to the fine details of wedding prep, including lighting, florals and other fine design details.

Both Picheloup and Guidry began their careers in the hospitality industry. Picheloup gained experience at the City Club, formerly located in the Capital One Tower, and La Truffe Sauvage, working under Chefs Mohammed Chettouh and Arthur Durham, whom he credits with sharing life-long hospitality knowledge and Guidry at Harlequin Steakhouse, under the late Lucille Hunter. The two met while both employed in the local food industry. Around 2000, the duo put their skills together and started curating weddings, parties, and making memories. Jett left an oilfield career and joined Derrick and Paul in 2015, spending a year learning serving etiquette at La Truffe Sauvage.

Picheloup says, “We spun what restaurants do into our own thing and have established an amazing clientele—a dream clientele. They are truly the ones who have pushed us, let us be creative, and given us the canvas to create.” He notes that the business has operated solely by word of mouth as it has gained momentum over the last 15 years.
Guidry says, “Every aspect of an event is curated. We want to complement the energy and theme of the wedding. The menus are nontraditional and elevated. We ask brides for inspiration. They’ve seen our style and aesthetic before. Our focus is on what we can do to make the event really special.”

The D|P|R aesthetic is highly inspired by European travel. The team journeys to Europe every summer to chase the muse and bring fresh ideas to SWLA. “We know what we love, and we’ve built the business on things we love—florals, décor, food,” Picheloup says.

The Calcasieu Marine National Bank was built in 1928, so, as a venue, the building already has a unique personality, but the D|P|R team ensures the space looks different every time.
When it comes to preparing for a wedding, Jett says planning is a year-long process between meeting with a bride, ordering décor and creating a space to remember for the special day. As far as the set-up for a wedding, it’s a 3-day process that includes assembly, serving and hosting, and taking down the set. Picheloup says the set-up for a wedding begins the night before, and the day of involves taking care of florals and other fine details.

“I usually wake-up at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. and go full throttle for almost 20 hours straight. There are many layers to setting up, from tablecloths to florals to lighting. Every minute is accounted for, and we all wear many hats. We have no specialty. We each take part in every aspect of the day… and at a second’s notice, may need to jump in and finish a sauté.  We know what we like and how we want it to look and taste.”

Guidry says, “Because of all the details, we are usually working up to the last minute. We really are doing what we love and people know that.”
The best part of the job? Picheloup says it’s “knowing we made the bride’s mom ecstatic.”

The D|P|R universe is still expanding with other great things to come, including a fine art gallery space housed in the historic property. Picheloup says it will be an exhibition space for contemporary art and he hopes to bring in international artists to participate.

For more information, visit www.derrickandpaul.com and www.thewildtruffle.com.