LOGAN — A former restaurateur and chef who brought a love for Cajun food to Cache Valley has died at his home. Jason Davis, 49, passed away March 22, according to a social media post from family members, who noted that he was a “loyal friend to those he loved.”
Davis started MayMoe’s Southern Cajun Grill in 2016. It was first located in the back of a gas station in North Logan, and later expanded to a new building in southern Logan that remained a popular place to eat until it closed last summer. The menu featured a variety of Southern, Cajun and Creole style lunch and dinner items, including crawfish and alligator on special occasions.
Austin Porter worked for Davis at MayMoe’s for more than three years. He expressed feelings of shock after learning about his boss and friend’s passing.
“It is still hard to believe it’s real,” said Porter. “(Jason) was one of those guys that was so friendly. It almost feels like I could give him a phone call right now, and he would be there.”
Davis’ kindness was one of the key hallmarks of MayMoe’s popularity. Many of his former customers posted messages on social media, recounting times when he helped them during times of need.
Jason’s compassion wasn’t just for customers, according to Porter. He would help his staff also, once purchasing a new suit for an employee who was leaving on a church mission.
“I have a good memory of Jason being nice to his employees,” explained Austin. “I remember talking one time about how I had a cheap pair of shoes that were falling apart, and I wasn’t the best at replacing them. One day, (Jason) walked in and had actually bought me a new pair of shoes.”
MayMoe’s success continued to grow, attracting the attention of Guy Fieri, who visited the restaurant in October 2019 to film an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. The TV host described how Davis “executed in the finer points” of the restaurant’s menu items.
Tilly Thain was also employed at MayMoe’s for five years. She worked alongside Jason as the restaurant continued to grow in popularity.
“When we started in the gas station, said Thain, “you could hear people saying, ‘I didn’t expect that from gas station food.’ But, we learned that back in the south, the back of the gas station food was always the best. So, in transitioning to the bigger spot in south Logan, it was wild because we would have lines outside the door during the lunch rush for weeks on end.”
The restaurant continued to operate until a post on social media, June 21, 2024, announced the doors would be closing immediately for “unforeseen circumstances.” Many people showed up to enjoy the food one last time, forming a line all the way out of the building.
Tilly said it is hard to believe that her former boss, mentor and friend is gone. She has been thinking back to their talks about life, family, and building a successful restaurant.
“I never had any formal restaurant experience,” explained Thain. “Everything I learned was from Jason. I knew that you could tell the difference between food that was cooked with love, verses just food that was cooked. He definitely taught us all a lot in the kitchen, and working with him day-in-and-day-out was a wild, fun rollercoaster.”
Davis briefly moved back home to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in November 2024, still keeping in touch with some of his former employees and friends. Family said the cause of death is still unknown and an autopsy is pending.