Barnard, who lives in the 2600 block of Burgundy St.,  said he suspects whoever was responsible was observing the couple's  routines for a while before committing the crime.

“They knew exactly where to go,” said Barnard. “The mattresses weren’t turned up. They even knew which drawer to go in to find the remotes to the TV they stole,” he said. 

In addition to Tres and Emily’s TV, all their cash from We’ve Got Soul, and their laptops, the robber also took some of Tres’ personal effects. 

“They stole my chef coats, and only the ones from the restaurants that I worked for in New Orleans,” said Barnard. 

Barnard said the chef coat enigma was particularly indicative of something shady, whether the crime was personal or just highly calculated. Barnard worked as a chef at Royal Sonesta and K-Paul’s before venturing into his own business. 

Luckily, Barnard’s kind disposition and buy-local philosophy earned him a lot of friends in the short months he was in business, and people have stepped up to the plate to keep We’ve Got Soul operational. 

“The lady I get my shrimp and crab from down in Chalmette donated 80 pounds of shrimp to us,” said Barnard. “We’re going to do a shrimp boil on Friday to raise money.” 

Barnard will also serve up a limited menu on Friday night, in hopes that his perseverance in the face of struggle will send a clear message to whoever is responsible. 

“The limited menu is kind of a way to say, ‘I’m still here, you cant’ stop me,’” said Barnard. 

Barnard is also a friend of the owners at Lost Love Lounge (2529 Dauphine), and they agreed to donate a portion of tonight’s proceeds to We’ve Got Soul. Whether you were planning on watching the third debate there tonight or not, now you have a good reason to grab a beer or enjoy a Vietnamese meal.  

They’ve already raised 400 dollars through a PayPal account. Whether you’re rolling in green or just have a few extra bucks, you can donate here (linked at the bottom of the page). The faster you click, the faster the pair will be able to serve up the soul food that made them a fast favorite in the Marigny. 

Barnard said he was blown away by the outpouring of support thus far, and promises that he will deliver on any and all donations. 

“I’ve never been handed a thing in my life, it’s a whole new weird thing to have people giving me stuff. If people want to give to me, I’m going to give back,” said Barnard.  “That’s one reason we’re doing the limited menu and the shrimp boil.”