Marcelle Bienvenu was born in St. Martinville, Louisiana, a small town in soutwestern Louisiana, set amongst live oak trees and sugar cane fields. The Bienvenu family owned and published the Teche News, from 1886 to 2007, a wonderful foundation for a budding journalist. After graduation from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, she worked as a feature writer for the New Orleans Times Picayune, and was a researcher and consultant for Time-Life Books, contributing to Foods of the World; American Cooking, Creole and Acadiana, and The American Wilderness-The Bayous.

She opened her own restaurant, Chez Marcelle, near Lafayette, Louisiana. She also worked for several other restaurants, including Commander's Palace and K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans...