‍In our Staff Spotlight series, we’re pulling back the curtain on the talented artists, artisans, and craftspeople who make up our crew. Our team is a gumbo pot of creativity: painters, sculptors, woodworkers, fiber artists, costume designers, metalsmiths, actors, musicians, writers, jewelry designers, and the list goes on. If you can dream it up, chances are we’re already doing it in our free time, too. That’s what makes us so good at our day jobs as custom experiential fabricators.

Each month, we’ll shine a light on one of our team members—their inspirations, their after-hours projects, and the creative spark they bring to both their life and our shop floor. Because behind every masterpiece is a person with a story worth sharing.

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This month, we’re spotlighting Greg Chauffe, Millwork Department Lead, whose leadership on the shop floor is a testament to years spent on stage, behind the bar, building for the camera, and bringing people together.

Greg Chauffe's story is kinda like the Mississippi - it meanders, but always works its way back to New Orleans. He was born here, spent part of his childhood in Fairhope, Alabama, then returned to attend Andrew Jackson High School in Chalmette. After Hurricane Katrina, he moved to Austin for a time, and later traveled around the country while working in film. Somewhere along the way, he figured out what he already suspected: this is where he wants to be.

As a kid, Greg was captivated by how things worked. He built project boards with circuits and once rigged up a hallway tripwire just to hear when the babysitter walked by. He took things apart, studied them, and put them back together in a way that made them better. That instinct did not come out of nowhere. He comes from a long line of industrious men. Greg puts it simply, “My great-grandfather, grandfather, and dad were all guys that took life by the horns. They just had a way of making things work out and staying positive.”

He spent a lot of time with his great-grandfather and grandfather growing up, and those experiences left a mark. His great-grandfather introduced him to carpentry and showed him that most things can be made if you are willing to try. Greg fondly remembers falling in love with a rubber band gun at a craft market, then watching his great-grandfather go home and build one for him that same day.

That mindset followed Greg into his teenage years, where time with his dad revolved around engines and open hoods. They were gearheads together, always searching for the next project or the perfect vintage car. In his twenties, he and a group of friends got into the rat rod scene, building custom cars from salvaged parts and leaning into a more raw, unfinished look.

Around that same time, Greg built one of his favorite projects, a custom motorcycle based on a Big Dog chopper frame. Long, bold, and built by hand, it earned First Place, North American Manufactured Custom at the World of Wheels Car Show in 2016. More than anything, he enjoyed the process of putting it together and taking it out on the road. Out there, he says, everyday life could melt away in the wind.

Greg’s story is not only about what he builds, but also about how he connects with people. Outside of the shop, he spent years working in hospitality and nightlife. He started in catering, learned to bartend in the early 2000s, and even worked as a Superdome beer hawker during Saints games. That led to bartending, DJing, and emceeing on Bourbon Street, where he developed a knack for reading a room and keeping things moving.

After Katrina, Greg returned to the French Quarter and took on managing clubs. He leaned into mixology, trusting his palate and experimenting with new ideas. He entered competitions, developed cocktail menus with friends, and built a reputation for both flavor and flair. Music has always been part of that creative thread too, and he plays both fiddle and guitar.

It was also during that time that Greg reconnected with Deutsches Haus, New Orleans’ nearly 100-year-old German cultural hall. Greg’s family heritage is tied to the Alsace-Lorraine region, but what started as a personal connection grew into something much bigger. He became involved in fundraising and expanding the organization's beer hall, and worked with a crew of dedicated local volunteers to turn the organization's Oktoberfest celebration into a much larger event that now draws attendees from across the U.S.

Today, he still volunteers for Oktoberfest as an emcee (AKA der Festmeister), using his naturally positive attitude and upbeat vibe to hype up the crowd with antics like the Hogan’s Heroes Mosh, a spirited take on German beer toasting that turns into something you have to experience to understand. The festival, stretching across the last three weekends of October, boasts a full range of German beers, wines, and schnapps, plus a great selection of hardy German cuisine staples.

But Greg will be the first to tell you that the celebration is about the music just as much as the beer. The Bräts, a New Orleans-based polka band known for turning modern songs into high-energy polka sets, are a crowd favorite. In fact, the band who live by the motto "Always Maintain Polka Intensity" have a full lineup at Oktoberfests across the U.S. this year. Check out their tour schedule to find them at a city near you!

Through it all, Greg never stopped working with his hands. Carpentry stayed with him, even during long nights behind the bar. He began building custom wine rooms through word of mouth, which eventually led to larger and more imaginative projects, including a private 2,000-square-foot clubhouse bar tucked behind a friend’s house. (Yes, there's even a secret, members-only tattoo.)

Eventually, someone suggested he look into scenic carpentry work. At the time, the New Orleans film industry needed skilled carpenters, and Greg had the chops. Starting with Jurassic World in 2015, Greg worked on sets for films like Underwater, Project Power, and 65. Much of what he built lives in the background, small details that most viewers never notice but would miss if they were gone. He takes pride in those pieces, in solving problems quietly and making things feel real.

A few years ago, Greg added another creative role to his life: becoming a father. When asked about his favorite thing he has ever built, he immediately smiles and answers, “My son.” There is a clear sense of pride when he talks about him, from how accurate he was at seven months old with his first play hammer and nails set, to the idea that they will one day share time in the shop.

Greg is also a fan of the great Bob Ross, which is totally fitting. He believes in the idea that there are no true mistakes, only chances to try a different approach. He carries that into his work and his life. “There’s more than one way to handle something,” he says. “If things get tough, step back and look at it from another angle.”

What stays with him most is the moment a project is finished and someone pauses to take it in, maybe ask questions and get inspired to build something of their own. That curious, creative spark is a process that's near and dear to his own heart. “If someone knows something that I don’t know,” he says, “I get quiet and pay attention. I’m always trying to learn.”

In a few months' time, Greg will be back at Deutsches Haus for Oktoberfest, stepping into his role as Festmeister once again. If you find yourself there, you will likely hear him call out to the crowd with a grin, inviting everyone to join in: “Polka till your pants fall off!”

We have a pretty strict dress code here on the shop floor, but we're definitely looking forward to catching Greg in his lederhosen come October. (Whether or not you decide to polka right out of your lederhosen is your business. It's NOLA; we don't judge!)