Louisiana Eats: Longevity & Success In The Restaurant Biz
Thibodaux-born Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois and hospitality guru Danny Meyer at the 2015 Big Apple Barbecue Block Party.
NICOLE SAVITSKY
There are few businesses harder to succeed in than the restaurant business. On this week's show, we hear some of America's greatest success stories from the hospitality world.
Poppy Tooker and Danny Meyer
CREDIT JENNIFER MITCHELL PHOTOGRAPHY
We begin with a conversation with Danny Meyer, founder and CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group. Danny has won a staggering 26 James Beard awards for his family of successful businesses in New York City. He explains the importance of customer service and seeking out employees who possess what he refers to as a high "H.Q." or "hospitality quotient."
Then, we'll meet one of the folks with a very high H.Q. Thibodaux-born Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois, one of Danny Meyer's executive chefs at New York's Blue Smoke and Porchlight Bar, joins us to discuss his professional journey from Louisiana to New York and the lessons learned along the way.
Finally, any business that has been around since 1837 is obviously doing something right. Executive Chef Billy Oliva and Sales and Marketing Director Carin Sarafian reveal the delicious tale of America's oldest restaurant, Delmonico's.
Food, hospitality and history. We've got it all on this week's Louisiana Eats!
Brick Chicken a la Keene
Delmonico's Restaurant
¼ cup julienne Piquillo Peppers
¼ Sweet Peas
2 oz Chanterelles sliced
2 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons Sherry Wine
1 cup Roasted Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon chopped Flat Italian Parsley
Himalayan Salt Brick
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
¼ teaspoon chopped Thyme
3 ½ lb boned chicken-skin on-wing bone attached
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 oz Cooked Farro Pizzichi Pasta
Pierre Poivre and Kosher salt to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat large skillet over medium high heat.
Season chicken with some of Pierre Poivre on both sides.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet.
Place chicken in hot skillet skin side down.
Top with Himalyan Salt Brick and press.
Cook on stove top until edges brown, then place in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
About ½ way through cooking process, flip chicken and place brick on other side.
Once cooked, remove chicken from oven and remove from pan.
Let rest.
Discard any remaining oil from pan.
Add remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to pan.
Let oil get hot.
Add mushrooms and season with Pierre Poivre and salt.
Add thyme.
Add peppers.
Cook for two minutes and scrape pan.
Deglaze pan with sherry.
Reduce until sec.
Add Chicken stock, reduce until it come to a sauce like consistency.
Add heavy cream.
Add pasta, green peas and finish with butter.
Place chicken back in oven until hot.
Place sauce on bottom of place and place chicken on top.
For extra indulgence, sear a piece of 2 oz foie gras and place on top.
Poppy’s Chicken à la King
Serves 4-6
1 ½ cups leftover roasted chicken
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
½ cup sliced mushrooms
1 bunch of thinly sliced green onions
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup green peas
4 tablespoons sherry
salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and sauté the mushrooms until just tender. Add the green onions and stir together for a minute, then reserve. In a saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour, cooking together till the raw flour scent disappears (about 3 minutes). Whisk in the milk and cook until the sauce thickens. Add the cheese, stirring until the sauce is smooth. Add the mushrooms, green onions, peas and chicken to the sauce. Stir till heated through then add the sherry. Do not allow the dish to return to a boil or the sauce will break. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce and serve over biscuits, toast or rice.