New Orleans Flavor in Springfield
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHIRA FRIEDMAN
Tucked beneath the soft twinkle lights of downtown Springfield’s “Restaurant Row” on Worthington Street is a new spin on a local favorite: Mamou. Opened by owner-chefs Ivan Felix and Jose Correa last July, Mamou is the next iteration of Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou, the popular Cajun and Creole restaurant owned and operated by the late chef Wayne Hooker from 1996 until his retirement in 2020. The restaurant was beloved for both its food and the upbeat and relaxed atmosphere created by Chef Wayne. Chef Felix, a protégé of Chef Wayne’s, was determined to revive Mamou for the next generation of Pioneer Valley restaurant goers.
As Felix describes it, the popularity of Big Mamou wasn’t just about “the quality of the food, but the experience as well, the hospitality, the good times.” Community members reminisce with Felix about dining there with families and friends, the fun they had, and the new people they met. “That restaurant on Liberty Street transcends generations,” he says. “You have kids who were going there with their parents who are now adults bringing their kids here.” Felix chalks it up to Chef Wayne: “It’s a testament to the impact Chef Wayne Hooker had on the community.”
Chefs Felix and Correa initially met working at Springfield’s Max’s Tavern, a contemporary American chophouse near the Basketball Hall of Fame. After Max’s Tavern, both chefs went on to work at restaurants throughout Northampton, Holyoke, and Springfield. Felix’s path led to him working under Chef Wayne at both Big Mamou and then partnering with Chef Wayne and his wife, Lisa Wyatt Hooker, on the express takeout concept, Cajun on the Go.
When Covid decimated the restaurant industry in 2020, Chef Wayne decided to retire. Cajun on the Go would survive another couple of years but would ultimately close as well. Felix knew he didn’t want that to be the end of Mamou in the Valley. He began his search for a partner to take the helm with him. Chef Wayne, while happy to be a consultant, wasn’t interested in returning full-time to the restaurateur life.
As fate would have it, Correa’s brother-in-law is Felix’s childhood best friend. In 2022, they both attended the same birthday party where they reconnected, and Felix realized he had found his partner for Mamou’s relaunch in Springfield. He knew they could work well together from their time at Max’s Tavern, and they also share an important culinary philosophy. Felix describes himself and Correa as “natural born nurturers,” the type of people who believe that feeding the community is more than just preparing food. It’s about providing a space that nourishes the community’s soul.
“Don’t let it be just for food, break out of your shell, give them a piece of you… show them who you are.” —Chef Wayne Hooker
Chef Jose Correa adds seasoning to crawfish étoufée
“Sometimes the stress of this whole thing can be maddening. But [Chef Wayne] trusted this brand and this name in our hands for all the right reasons. He wasn’t a man that made moves carelessly.” —Chef Ivan Felix
They spent three years working behind the scenes with Chef Wayne, learning his recipes, studying his techniques, and borrowing his cookbooks. The trio even took a trip to New Orleans together, where Chef Wayne took his mentees on a tasting tour of the city. Now, they consider each other not only business partners, but family.
As co-owners, they chose the space on Worthington Street so they could be a central part of the developing restaurant district in Springfield. The space required a major renovation that was funded in part with an American Rescue Plan Act Outdoor Dining grant that helped pay for the new patio.
The team soft-opened Mamou in July 2025 during Springfield’s Jazz & Roots Festival, a busy weekend devoted to live music, culture, and community. “There was nothing soft about it,” Correa jokes. While the rush was intense for their very first service, both men agree the best part was getting to work the line with Chef Wayne one last time before he unexpectedly passed away in November. When they speak of this, the mood becomes a bit somber. Neither chef anticipated running the restaurant without Chef Wayne so soon. Felix credits Chef Wayne for helping him learn to step outside of his own comfort zone and forge connections. He said some of Chef Wayne’s best advice was: “Don’t let it be just for food, break out of your shell, give them a piece of you… show them who you are.”
Mamou’s menu features New Orleans classics like jambalaya, red beans and rice, étouffée, and spin cakes: chicken blended with spinach and breadcrumbs topped with a mushroom cream sauce. The pair have found that diners are excited for the unique flavors the restaurant offers. They’re planning to offer more Cajun and Creole specialties like alligator and frog legs, menu items Big Mamou customers have been waxing nostalgic for. Brunch will also be making a comeback with dishes like sweet potato chicken and waffles, bourbon peach French toast, and fried green tomatoes. Diners can also look forward to more food-focused events, like whiskey dinners and crawfish boils, alongside live jazz music in the year ahead.
Chefs Felix and Correa are both aware they have big shoes to fill. Customers have expectations about what they are likely to experience—in terms of both atmosphere and food—at a Mamou restaurant. “Sometimes the stress of this whole thing can be maddening,” Felix says. “But [Chef Wayne] trusted this brand and this name in our hands for all the right reasons. He wasn’t a man that made moves carelessly.”
Mamou
272-278 Worthington St., Springfield
413-750-9054
mamouspringfield.com
