The Mueller family fom left to right: Caroline, Meredith, Angele, Pete
The smells of shrimp and grits, crawfish étouffée and fried oyster po’boys bring Angele Mueller back to her family home’s kitchen in Louisiana. These smells remind her of home daily, as they waft from the kitchen of her restaurant, Tallahatchie Gourmet. Her vision of family is seen as her daughters wait on customers in Oxford.
Tallahatchie Gourmet opened their second location on Double Decker weekend. This location is a dream come true for owner and Ole Miss Alumni Angele, who opened this location to stay near her two daughters, Meredith and Caroline Mueller while they attend Ole Miss.
Angele graduated from Ole Miss in 1988. During her time at The University, she worked at The Gin, where she learned the insight to the restaurant business. This helped foster her interest in cuisine, but it was truly her Louisiana roots that inspired her love for food. Her restaurant features many Louisiana dishes ranging from gumbo to crawfish Monica.
“Growing up in New Orleans, I was always around good food…not only the restaurants, but my family loves to cook and entertain,” Angele said.
Angele got into the restaurant business about 13 years ago when she opened her first TG in New Albany. Her two daughters started working there when they were in high school and have worked part time for their mother ever since, spawning TG’s first generation of the family business.
Tallahatchie Gourmet’s location in Oxford is located under Neilson’s Department Store. TG is open seven days a week, Sunday through Tuesday from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm and Wednesday through Saturday from 11:00 am until 9:00 pm. The New Albany location is open Monday- through Saturday from 11:00 am until 9:00 pm.
Her daughters Meredith and Caroline feel as if they grew up in their mother’s restaurant.
Meredith, 22, recalls many afternoons spent at the restaurant playing with her little sister.
“My favorite was when me and Caroline were little, I was eight she was six and we would play in the kitchen, always making up games pretending to be chefs,” Meredith said.
Although the entire Mueller family agrees the peaks of working together outweigh the pits, mother Mueller finds it difficult at times to work with her daughters.
“Having my kids work for me is good and can be frustrating. If I wasn’t their mom, I am certain they would listen better than they do to me,” Angele said.
But they always work through it together.
What makes these three a successful team according to Angele is that her daughters have gained essential skills needed in any workforce while working at TG.
“They have both gained people skills which you definitely do need in this business,” Angele said.
Most recently Mueller’s son Pete Mueller has begun bussing tables at the restaurant. Pete is in high school and working at his mother’s restaurant with his sisters for the summer.
“It’s cool to work with my sisters I get to mess with them and hang out like we used to when they lived at home,” Pete said.
Angele tries to instill a hard work ethic in her children and owning a business allows her to do just that.
