Barely thirty minutes northeast of New Orleans, you'll find a thriving, world class culinary scene in Slidell, Louisiana. For over 20 years now, Duffy Ramirez has paved the fine dining path at Palmettos on the Bayou. Beginning with a century-old homestead, Duffy expanded and grew his restaurant from the original 40 seats to today's capacity for up to 400 without ever losing the intimate feel of Palmettos' original cottage. When executive chef Ross Dover took the reins in Palmettos' kitchen, the operation took a serious step up. We sat down in the restaurant's dining room for two conversations: first with Chef Ross and then with Duffy to learn more about the special spot along the bayou.