BREAKING: After 30 years, Chef Chris Dupont is leaving Birmingham—find out what’s next for Cafe Dupont

Cafe Dupont has been a Birmingham staple for years, thanks to Chef Chris Dupont. Now, according to a report from Nola.com, Chef Dupont is leaving Birmingham to open one last restaurant in his hometown in New Orleans. Keep reading for more on what’s next.

EDIT: This is an upcoming transition and Chef Dupont is currently still here in Birmingham. We look forward to updating this article with more details soon.

A Birmingham pioneer

Over the last 30 years, Chef Dupont has left an invaluable impact on the Birmingham food scene. Cafe Dupont had humble beginnings back in 1994 in Springville, Alabama.

It was there that Chef Dupont got a knack for accumulating farm-to-table ingredients—being in the small town allowed him to connect with local farmers. In 2003, the restaurant moved to downtown Birmingham, and the rest is history.

As a supporter of the slow food movement, Chris Dupont promotes traditional cooking using locally grown products.

“Pair classic Southern cooking styles with locally grown ingredients and you get Cafe Dupont’s signature dishes like Fried Oysters & Okra, Seared Sea Scallops with Goat Cheese Souffle and of course, their Classic Beignets with Strawberry Preserves. I ate at Cafe Dupont for the first time as part of my senior research at Birmingham-Southern College and every single bite is incredible”

Pat Byington, Bham Now

The historic brick wall bistro serves up excellent Southern dishes that have put it at the top of Bham’s dining list for years.

Although Chef Dupont is making an exit, don’t worry, this doesn’t spell the end for the popular restaurant. According to a local source, Cafe Dupont is now owned and operated by long-time sous chef Chris Evans, leaving the Cafe in fantastic hands.

Back to his roots

“I wanted to have my last restaurant in the place where I came from. I saw this as a logical return for myself.”

Chris Dupont, to Nola.com

Originally hailing from New Orleans, Chef Dupont is making his way back home for his final restaurant.

Cavan, a historic building + restaurant located on 3607 Magazine St, was unfortunately closed after Hurricane Ida devastated the area last year.

Dupont purchased the property and hopes to bring together local producers to formulate a fresh farm-to-table menu for the new restaurant.

The building still has to go through numerous renovations and the name is yet to be finalized.

Birmingham will miss Chef Dupont dearly. His impact on Birmingham will live on and we’re sure he’ll bring expertise and delicious dishes to the Big Easy.

We can’t wait to see what’s next for Cafe Dupont, as well. You can visit them at 113 20th St N, Birmingham, AL.

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