Chris Ortego Shares How He's Completely Transforming His Restaurant to Survive

After eight years, Chris Ortego finally had Cotton Blues in Hattiesburg, Miss., right where he wanted it: He had pulled back from the original upscale menu and found the right mix of dishes like fried shrimp po’boys, praline-blackened catfish and pimiento bacon burgers to attract customers. Weekend brunch regularly lured crowds for blueberry cream cheese pancakes and fried green tomato Benedicts, and the restaurant’s cheesecake had become so popular...