INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Chef Oya, owner of The Trap seafood restaurant, announced earlier this month that the popular Indianapolis eatery will close its doors permanently on Saturday, Aug. 10.

She stopped by WISH-TV to chat with Daybreak Anchor Jeremy Jenkins about the legacy of The Trap and her next chapter: teaching culinary arts at a local high school.

“I am super excited about where that’s gonna lead me,” Chef Oya said.

Chef Oya has been sharing updates on social media about preparing her new classroom. However, she hasn’t shared the name of the school where she will be teaching.

“My close people know,” she said. “That’ll come in the future as I get acclimated to the classroom and my students and just learning the art of teaching itself.”

When asked about the decision to close The Trap, Chef Oya explained that business had slowed, prompting her to explore other opportunities for the brand.

“Other than the fact that I am switching careers, it had become a little slow,” she said. “It just made more sense to see what else we could do with the Trap brand itself other than the restaurant service.”

Chef Oya says the community’s response has been overwhelmingly supportive, with many expressing their sadness over the closure.

“I am so grateful for the community support over the years. Since the day that we’ve opened, people have loved us and supported us,” Chef Oya said. “We wouldn’t have been able to make the impact that we’ve been able to make on this city, on the food culture, and everything without the support of everybody.”

While her restaurant will no longer be open for business, Chef Oya will continue her culinary endeavors through catering, pop-up events, and the Trap Butter brand.

“The Trap Butter brand is still alive and well. You’ll be able to find Trap Chow at Cleo’s Bodega and also bottles on our website and at vending events around the city. The Trap isn’t going completely away. We’ll still be around.”

Chef Oya is proud of the brand she has built and plans to keep it going.

“We are going to be vending at the Black Owned Business Block Party on Aug. 3, and we’ll only be doing our Trap Butter sauces,” she said. “We’re working on getting Trap Butter some larger distribution in other stores around the country.”

To visit The Trap before it closes for good, stop by 3355 N. Keystone Ave. The restaurant will be open Wednesday – Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

For updates on Chef Oya’s new ventures and teaching career, follow The Trap Seafood and Chef Oya on Instagram and Facebook.