A Tale of Les' Sisters
What began in 1986 as a small café became a community favorite serving rich Southern flavors, soulful meals, and stories worth sharing.
Original Founders of Les Sisters'
(Left to Right) Rhoda Hadi of Baton Rouge, La. Willie Stanford of Harlem, Ny, and Clara Huling of Muskogee,Ok.
What's the importance of family heritage?
When Clara Huling, Roda Hadi, and Willie Stanford opened a small café in Chatsworth in 1986, none of them could possibly have predicted the bright future of their venture. For them, it was an adventure; an attempt to realize lifelong dreams. Each brought to the table a special talent. At the time, Roda was a master Cajun chef, and ran the seafood bar at the popular Fireside Inn in Encino. Willie was the owner-operator of Our Place, a very popular bar and gathering place.
Born from Clara’s childhood roots in her mother’s Yuma restaurant, Les Sisters’ began as a side passion. After early praise from critics like Elmer Dills and the LA Times, the restaurant survived tough times. Clara eventually ran it alone until her passing in 1992. Her son Kevin stepped in, supported by loyal staff and customers. Today, we proudly carry on Clara’s legacy—serving soulful, Southern comfort food made with love.
Susan Warner (1957-2018)
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Susan was the first waitress hired at Les Sisters back in 1986 and continued to make her imprint here for over 30 years. In 2014, Susan and Jessica joined forces and bought the struggling business in hopes to improve overall quality and business reputation. After a few tweaks in recipes, lots of elbow grease, and the determination to keep this little restaurant going they have succeeded just that, but not without great sacrifice.
In 2015 Susan was diagnosed with cancer. For the next 2 years, Susan fought with her condition staying positive and optimistic the entire way through. But soon enough, the cancer had spread, and the damage was irreversible. On Feb 13, 2018 (Mardi Gras Tuesday) Susan finally let go of this world to join her family and friends waiting for her in the sky. It was truly an honor to have known such a caring and beautiful person such as her.
Kevin Edward Huling II (1987-2017)
More commonly called, "Jr." There was something special about him. Whether it was his inviting smile, his charm and confidence, or his ability to make you laugh at the silliest things. He was a beacon of light to the Huling and Les Sisters family, and still is now more than ever. Cancer was responsible for his fall shortly after his birthday in August 2017. Though he fought dearly, this tragic loss hits harder because he was so young. You will be more than missed, KJ.
Check out this great episode from CBS's This Is L.A.