When Joseph Lewis cooks, he uses the biggest pots you've ever seen.

"It’s amazing, it’s amazing. You cook 5000 pounds over here, you cook 5000 pounds right here, and you cook 6000 pounds right here,” said Joseph.

Joseph's kettles are the heart of Chef John Folse's new food manufacturing plant, which produces 190 tons of prepared foods each week. That's 100-million pounds a year.

"40 tons of cream are going to come through this facility this week, 42 tons of brown sugar is going to come through this facility in the next five days,” said Chef John Folse, owner and founder of Chef John Folse and Company.

110-staffers prepare 300-different food products for 350-companies, including grocery and restaurant chains that bring products produced in Louisiana to diners worldwide.

The facility even includes special freezer where food is kept awaiting delivery. Inside the huge freezer it is minus ten degrees, but there is room for four million pounds of food.

There are blast freezers that go down to minus 40 degrees.

"John is very, very important to Louisiana,” said Dr. Mike Strain, Louisiana’s Agriculture Commissioner.  “He is the embodiment of what we're trying to do in Louisiana. He is the ambassador of culture, of food, and about Louisiana life."

The plant was built just three years ago, but the demand is so great that they cut the ribbon today for an expansion that tripled its size.

"My entire vision of economic development in the state of Louisiana was actually created watching John Folse work,” said Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu.

They celebrated Folse's 62nd birthday, and the 30th anniversary of his decision to open his first restaurant, a time when he just wanted to make a living by cooking.

"If only I can make about $500 a day, we ought to be able to even survive for 20 years, so I guess we did that,” Folse said with a laugh, remembering what his plans were in 1978 for the next 20 years.

Now he owns five major companies and manages several subsidiaries, but one of New Orleans best known chefs says she will never forget the help he gave her after Hurricane Katrina.

"You would never believe it. The man has seen that I have all the equipment in my kitchen. My bar is more beautiful than it has ever been, thanks to John Folse,” said Chef Leah Chase of Dookie Chase Restaurant.

Folse says he has contacted state and federal emergency managers to alert them that if there is another hurricane or disaster that affects southern Louisiana, his plant can be used as a staging point to provide supplies to the victims.

John Folse is still moving into this new facility, and hiring 90-new employees, but is already planning two expansions, a huge bakery, and a dairy.