Ray goes to New Orleans and meets Paul Prudhomme

[frapjap]

I've been absent a while lately- mainly due to work, the car needing work, and my basement apartment taking on water during the "historic flooding," but I just got the opportunity to go to NOLA with work to meet Chef Paul Prudhomme. Some of you know, I work in R&D as a Food Scientist. The job gets me to all kinds of places and gets me to work on all different kinds of food. This time, I scored BIG and got to work in New Orleans and meet with Chef Paul Prudhomme to learn about properly cooked Louisiana Cookin'. For those who don't know (or are to young to), Chef Paul was (and in some places, still is) on PBS, has multiple cook books, and a line of very memorable (and recognizable!)Magic Seasonings- a staple in nearly any grocery store and food service kitchen. So, on with the story and the pictures!

I entered New Orleans by plane and was picked up by a co worker. We were given a tour of the Magic Seasonings plant (sorry, no pictures allowed of that, just of this painting in the lobby) and some background on the company. Turns out that a line of seasonings was never in the cards for Chef Paul, but his customers would come back after eating at the restaurant and would request some of his seasoning. They returned again wanting to purchase it, so he began selling it. More and more requests poured in and he had to scale up to larger and larger plants to fill orders. Many chain restaurants also use seasoning blends from Magic. But I digress, after leaving the plant, we hopped on the I-10 to go into downtown New Orleans. I saw billboards for "Two Dollar Tuesdays" at some strip joint and vowed to go just out of principal. We never made it, but it was probably for the best. I doubt the A Squad would be dancing on a Tuesday night. So, we rolled in and I took a few shots:"Original" Cajun restaurant. I wasn't willing to find out.

Down town

The Saints dome. Yay for dirty windshields!

Some jolly dancing dude. The riverwalk was preparing for a festival of some sort, but I missed out on checking out the prep work.

Moms Mini Mart- 2-4-1 Micky's Ice. I think Mom is standing outside.

Street cars- that people actually ride!

Canal Street

The entry to Burbon Street. The hotel was one block over.

More Burbon Street.

Now- more on Burbon Street. I've never been to New Orleans so the presence of strip club chicks, easily accessible alcohol, and air of urine and feces struck me as off. I knew right away I was somewhere very, very interesting.

This chick was pretending to be Michael Jackson as she hustled for patrons at the door. This was BY FAR the least provocative method of attracting customers that I saw all day.

Yes, these were indeed, Big a** Beers- about a quart and a half for 6 bucks! I drank it all while we drove around looking for our hotel.

The Holiday Inn staff informed us that they were on the corner of Royal and Canal St. False. They were behind two buildings and one shack, about half way down Royal Street. We drove around twice before I looked up and realized where it was.

After taking a quick stroll, we got picked up and went to K Paul's restaurant for dinner with Chef Paul. We literally tried everything on the menu (all of which was pretty damned amazing!) and because I was to busy stuffing my face and talking with Chef, I didn't take any pictures. Our table was just outside the kitchen, and we got to dine with Chef, the President of Magic, and two R&D folks. A drink and some excellent Cabernet Sauvignon later, we got a tour of the kitchen and I learned how to properly execute the cooking method of blackening. So did this kid standing next to me. He wanted to grow up to be a chef.

When he saw Chef with us, Chef wandered over and started talking to his patrons and invited him into the kitchen while we worked. You could tell he was uncomfortable with the heat. A note about the heat in this particular kitchen- they have oxygen injection in the burners to get them to burn hotter- very cool! Saute pans and cast iron skillets don't last long there. But back to the heat- immense heat! I think it might have changed this kids mind!

We finished dinner, I had great bread pudding (and I hate bread pudding) and got my picture taken with Chef in front of the kitchen.

The rest of the bottom floor of the restaurant.

After dinner, the R&D staff and I went out on Burbon, saw some black girl with no ambition shake her a** on the street, and procedeed to get "the strongers drink in the world: a grenade." I should sure for false advertisement. But, then again, I have drank moonshine. It actually really sucked, and if you want to look like a tourist, buy the stupid looking drink in its gay looking pen15 glory and you'll be all set to get harassed by every strip club bookie on the street. True story.

We hung out and walked for a bit (you can waltz around and DRIVE with open containers in New Orleans!) and went back to the hotel where my room was located in the most prime realestate ever- right in front of 4 elevator doors. I slept like a** because drunks were in and out ALL NIGHT! I laid in bed hearing how some drunks were to drunk to figure out how to call the elevator. God damn.

After a sleepless night, I went to Chef's R&D lab/house/the Prudhomme compound. Here I heard fun stories about being the last of 13 kids growing up in depression/ WW2 era Louisiana backwoods, how he lost 300+ pounds and is walking for the first time in 30 years, his failed restaurants, his successful restaurants, how he used to sit on the front porch of his house with a shotgun waiting for his late wife to come home after dark so she was safe and "how a pissed off alligator sounds when you catch it." Chef Paul was awesome, down to earth, genuine, and a very, very amazing person. I greatly enjoyed meeting and working with him. Some pictures of his home:

You can see an INCREDIBLY old swamp tree in this shot.

The "Magic Bar." Note, Chef does not drink and hasn't since he was 14. I asked when he started, he replied with "Six," and a huge smile, I lol'd.



After we worked, we went for the "Disaster Tour in the Ward." Seeing how many homes are STILL abandoned, the water line that is still defined, and the markings on the front walls of the houses was erie. Then, smack in the middle of the ghetto, we reached our lunch destination. Hardcore, down home BBQ. PERFECTION!

A literal hole in the wall that had THE BEST beans, slaw, and dry rubbed smoked ribs that I have ever had in my eating career.

The "dining room," aka, backyard. I loved it!

Note the "don't touch this" sign on the Budweiser sign and the redneck lighting rig consisting of hose and Christmas lights wrapped around it to illuminate the work area of two unconventional smokers.

Reminds me of home!

Co worker and I looking as stupid as possible with our locally brewed IPA's.

BUY THIS!!!

The aforementioned BEST dry rub ribs I have ever had.

After lunch, I set out for the airport and got stuck on delay after delay, but at least I have an awesome memory for life.

[Dattebayo]

You got further from the airport then I ever did last year...

DRY RUB RIBS!

[Otto.]

Looks like a fun trip. Nice guy too.

Those ribs look good... and I'm a vegetarian.

(Shutcho mouth Dave)

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Good writeup Ray!



That guy is giving you the stink-eye and a half.

[RCA]

Wow, that was an awesome trip!

My parents use magic, it's a great seasoning.

EDIT:

Are they still celebrating their Superbowl win?

[numbnuts240]

dammit ray, i guess i'm going to have to pop your strip club cherry after all. come see me, i'll show you some classy broads, y'kno, the kind that'll suck you dry for a fitty spot

looks like an awesome, job funded trip. now i understand wtf you were talking about with that pic you sent me lol. makes me want to visit no now

[sx moneypit]

Good writeup. I need to get back down to Nawlins.

[frapjap]

Wow, that was an awesome trip!

My parents use magic, it's a great seasoning.

EDIT:

Are they still celebrating their Superbowl win?

More or less. "Who Dat" is written on anything and everything possible.

[r34 gtr]

Awesome!

Should have gone to Willie Mae's Scotch House while you were there too. Best soul food in NO from what I hear.

Sounds like you did it right though. Those ribs look amazing!

So how do I become as awesome as you, with a food-related job and a Trams Am? Culinary school + business school?

[frapjap]

Awesome!

Should have gone to Willie Mae's Scotch House while you were there too. Best soul food in NO from what I hear.

Sounds like you did it right though. Those ribs look amazing!

So how do I become as awesome as you, with a food-related job and a Trams Am? Culinary school + business school?

Since you asked...First, I'm not all that awesome. That T/A is quickly becoming a 10 footer, 12 footer, 15 footer. It likes to break periodically, too.Second, the obligatory answer "harrrrd work." I dual enrolled in highschool/college and had an AS in Culinary at JWU the summer before I turned 18. Then held a bunch of various level Chef positions at a slew of seasonal resorts, retirement homes, and chain restaurants for a few years to gain experience and culinary diversity.Then I got tired of no weekends, no holidays, and awful work hours and decided I'd try my hand at being a Registered Dietician. I got a BS in Nutrition from JWU, secured the job and greatly disliked it. I went back to what I do best and used my minor in Food Science and my cooking background and got lucky enough to land in the food technology biz. I haven't looked back!

If you want this type of job, check out culinology.org or IFT.org and look at some programs from univeristies for 4 or 6 year Food Science degrees.

[Solar_Runner]

I enjoy NOLA.

My daughter goes to Tulane and we visit and eat very well each time we are there. She hit up Willie Mae's recently. You gotta get there early or you'll never get seated. Best Damn Fried Chicken in the World.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Sucks...I was born in New Orleans and I've never seen it. Really makes me want to go...