Third Coast Cuisine

World famous chef John Besh is venturing outside the Crescent City for the first time.  Besh owns six restaurants in the Big Easy including Lüke, an homage to the old brasseries of French and German origin that once reigned in New Orleans.  Besh is opening a satellite of Lüke on San Antonio's famed River Walk partly to thank the people of the Alamo City for their hospitality in the aftermath of Katrina.

Besh has long been one of the premiere chefs in what is one of America's premiere dining cities but he first came to national attention as a contestant on Food Network's first Next Iron Chef competition narrowly losing out in the final to Michael Symon.  Since then he has been all over the airwaves making the rounds to each of the morning talk shows and on his own series for TLC where he helps wayward cooks discover their inner-chef, Inedible to Incredible.  He is also the author of the best selling cookbook My New Orleans: The Cookbook.  Winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Southeast for 2006, Besh is recognized as one of the nation’s highest-regarded chefs.

Lüke San Antonio's ambience and décor accent and complement the restaurant's Old World menu. Housed in a magnificent, 350-capacity, two-story building, Lüke San Antonio is adorned in the traditional, warm brasserie style with hardwood floors and brass ceiling tiles, providing a comfortable and welcoming space. An elevator whisks diners from the River Walk entrance to the cocktail lounge and raw bar, featuring fresh Gulf seafood. Upstairs, the glass-surrounded show kitchen encourages an interactive dining experience as Chef McHugh creates his locally harvested culinary delights.

The new Lüke combines German and French Old World cooking techniques in a warm and inviting space perfectly situated in San Antonio's popular downtown area.  The restaurant will feature blackboard specials and local ingredients setting the benchmark for casual dining.  To book a reservation click HERE.

Lüke: San Antonio
125 E. Houston Street • San Antonio, TX 78205
210.227.LUKE
www.lukesanantonio.com

 

The Few, The Proud, The Thirsty

Free drinks at Lüke for members of the U.S. Marine Corps, on its birthday

On November 10, 1775 in Philadelphia, Captain Samuel Nicholas established two battalions of Marines to help further the cause of American liberty; they would eventually become the United States Marine Corps.

On November 10, 2010 in New Orleans, Chef John Besh [USMC Ret.] invites fellow Marines to Lüke to celebrate 'their' birthday; drinks will be on the house.

In the intervening years, the U.S. Marines have been involved in every American armed conflict, rising to world dominance in amphibious warfare and earning a reputation synonymous with responsibility and victory.

Since his service in the first Gulf War, John Besh has made a name for himself as a masterful chef-restaurateur, responsible for 6 highly successful establishments. He is also a passionate champion of the culinary traditions of his Louisiana homeland; Lüke draws on the beloved but bygone New Orleans brasseries dating back to the 1890's that combined the best of French, German and Creole cuisine.

In the spirit of Semper Fi, Besh and Lüke celebrate the U.S. Marine Corps and their comrades-in-arms.  Those in town on the 10^th are welcome to come join them at Lüke in the heart of the Central Business District [adjacent to the Hilton St. Charles] - and raise a glass.

Lüke  333 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130, 504.378.2840

Examiner.com food writer Anne Berry recently offered the following review of John Besh's Domenica (in the renovated historic Roosevelt Hotel).  Here's a taste of that review:

Proving that simple is often best, the summer pizza at Domenica is topped with chunky zucchini, yellow squash, and a slather of San Rossano tomatoes and burrata cheese. The tomato sauce is both local and authentic - the tomato seeds came from Italy and were planted and harvested for Chef Besh on a hundred-acre farm north of Covington, La.

With its gooey, runny qualities, burrata is a better fit than mozzarella for the grilled squash, and helps make for a sweet and juicy crust.

It's a pretty, sunny pie, perfect with the summer salads also blooming on Domenica's menu. I especially liked the fleshy, tri-melon salad with soft prosciutto strips and balsamic vinegar; you might also try the salad of slivered cucumbers tossed with mint, arugula, olive oil and a bite of white pepper. A few more crumbles of quartirolo cheese would make this an even more substantial starter.

The month of April showers August and La Provence with three different opportunities to meet winemakers importers of high profile wineries and portfolios while sampling their outstanding wines with paired menus created by chef John Besh and sommelier, Michelle Gueydan of Besh Restaurant Group.

Weygandt Wines
Wednesday, April 7, 2010; 6 pm at La Provence

$85 per person, all inclusive

Renowned importer, Peter Weygandt, will hand-select and present French wines from his celebrated artisanal and "boutique" wine portfolio to accompany a four-course spring menu collaboration between chef John Besh and his "Chef to Watch" Erick Loos, highlighting ingredients from the farm at La Provence. Peter Weygandt is known both nationally and internationally for his selections and has been featured in Time Magazine, The New York Times and Food & Wine Magazine.

Silver Oak Cellars
Thursday, April 8, 2010; 6 pm at August
$150 per person, all inclusive

"Life is a Cabernet" for Silver Oak Cellars winemaker, Daniel Baron, who will present  the vineyard's 2005 Alexander and Napa Cabernets as well as selections from Twomey Cellars paired with a five-course menu prepared by chef John Besh and chef de cuisine, Mike Gulotta. The 2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet is full bodied, yet refined with a nose of black cherry, clove, cinnamon, lavender, and licorice making it seamless on the palate with a solid core of berry fruit, while the 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet boasts a complex nose of boysenberry, truffles, wild game, soy and black pepper presenting a silky mouth feel and elegant, long finish with slight tannic grip. A former board member for the American Society for Enology, Daniel Baron has been making wine with Duncan family wineries for more than 15 years after previous experience with Dominus in Napa Valley and Petrus in Bordeaux, France.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Tuesday, April 27, 2010; 6 pm at August
$125 per person, all inclusive

Winemaker Rob Davis will pair a vertical tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon in vintages from 2002-2004, along with J Sparkling and Jordan Chardonnay with a five-course menu prepared by chef John Besh and chef de cuisine, Mike Gulotta. The 2002 varietal begins with flavors of cassis, black cherry, cedar and leather, while the 2003 varietal carries notes of black cherry with a hint of blueberry and a nice mid-weight of oak and fruit tannin, and the 2004 varietal captures the flavors of cherry, raspberry, blueberry, plum, cassis, and spicy American Oak with an herbal backdrop to finish. Davis began his winemaking career in 1976, working hand-in-hand with famed winemaker André Tchelistcheff during Jordan Vineyard's first harvest.

Please contact Christy at 504-299-9777 x 304 or cbradley@chefjohnbesh.com for more information or to make your reservation.  

Restaurant August 504-299-9777 301 Tchoupitoulas Street New Orleans, LA 70130 La Provence 985-626-7662 25020 Highway 190 | Lacombe, Louisiana 70445

Serious Eats' Caroline Russock recently reviewed John Besh's My New Orleans: The Cookbook.  All week long they will be sharing recipes from it in their series Cook the Book.  They are also giving away several copies so hop on over and sign up.

My New Orleans: The Cookbook has just been named a 2010 finalist for the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Cookbook Awards.  The IACP Awards are kind of like the Golden Globes of food writing. 


Five (5) people will be chosen at random among the eligible comments. We're sorry, but entry is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Comments will close Monday, March 8 at noon ET. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.

The following is by Bill Addison of Atlanta Magazine.
Thanks to Chef John Besh for bringing it to our attention:

Mardi Gras is February 16, but whether you set off with your wig and mask or opt to visit during a calmer weekend, revived spirits are palpable in New Orleans. Debauchery remains on the menu, of course, but the city lures with some serious-minded attractions, the National World War II Museum chief among them. And speaking of menu, the reenergized dining scene inspires new heights of gluttony.

EAT
If we had one day of ultimate feasting, it might begin with chicken and waffles or grits and grillades (a veal stew of sorts) for breakfast at brasserie Lüke, owned by star toque John Besh. Part one of lunch would be fried oysters and the gumbo of the day at Herbsaint, the flagship restaurant of soulful chef Donald Link. Hopefully we’d have room afterward for a dripping roast beef and gravy po’boy at Mahony's, an acclaimed new sandwich shop. Before dinner, we’d swing by cool spot Cochon Butcher for a glass of rosé and a plate of charcuterie made on the premises. And we’d conclude at the city’s most refined dining destination, Stella! Chef Scott Boswell loves globally sourced luxury ingredients, but his food still tastes quintessentially New Orleans.

The short-lived HD Network MOJO produced three seasons of a show that is, in my opinion, the best food porn ever. The show was After Hours with Daniel. Famed chef Daniel Boulud has long hosted after hours parties at his restaurants and those of his friends. The menues are outrageous and the guest lists as diverse as any you will ever see. In 2008, Chef Daniel made a swing through the Third Coast visiting some of our most celebrated chefs.

In this episode Daniel visits the City that Care Forgot, New Orleans, for a soiree with John Besh at his Resturaunt August. Friends, fun and fois gras! The guest list includes Rene Bajeux, Lolis Eric Elie, Adolfo Garcia, Blake LeMaire, Trombone Shorty, and Greg Sonnier. Enjoy:

Cheflebrity John Besh (August, The American Sector) paid a visit to the Atlanta studios of CNN talking sustainability, farm-to-table and his new book My New Orleans with Reggie Aqui. Check it out:

From the Besh Restaurant Group 301 Tchoupitoulas Street New Orleans, LA 70130:



Wining and Dining at its Best

Consecutive wine dinners at two Besh restaurants next week are sure to hit the high notes when renowned chef John Besh and his culinary team hosts first Hendry Ranch Wines at August on Wednesday, then the winery, August Briggs, at La Provence on Thursday. Representatives of these esteemed wineries will be on hand to present their respective vintages, each carefully matched by multiple courses at each of the celebrated restaurants. Collaborations of such rarified company make for memorable meals, indeed, so be sure to reserve your place at one or both while you still can -

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Hendry Ranch Wine Dinner at August
6:30pm, $120/person, inclusive of tax and gratuity

On Wednesday, October 28, August, welcomes Susan Ridley of Hendry Ranch Wines (Napa Valley, CA) to help preside over an extraordinary pairing experience with a six-course dinner menu specially created by Executive Chef, Mike Gulotta, and Chef John Besh. They have developed each course to best showcase the personality of Hendry, a family-owned small estate winery that stresses the importance of terroir. The vineyard is divided into 50 different blocks, each of which is managed separately and based on variables such as slope inclination and graduation to climatic influences. Some of the varietals featured at the dinner will include Pinot Gris, Albarino, Pinot Noir Block 4&5, Zinfandel Block 28, and Zinfandel Block 7&22. The cost is $120/person, inclusive of tax and gratuity.

Thursday, October 29, 2009
August Briggs Winery Dinner at La Provence
6:30pm, $110/person, inclusive

On Thursday, October 29, La Provence (Lacombe, LA) will host special guest winemaker August "Joe" Briggs, who comes to us from his winery on the Silverado Trail in Calistoga, California. Joe is dedicated to producing a small boutique selection of wine from the best "gems" in Napa, Sonoma, and Lake County appellations. We are delighted to welcome him as he leads on a tasting tour of his exquisite Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each wine will be skillfully paired with one of six courses of a menu created by executive chef Erick Loos, especially for this occasion, in an intimate, fire-lit atmosphere in our private room at the edge of the farm. Cost is $110/person, inclusive of tax and gratuity.

Please contact Christy Bradley at 504-299-9777 x 304 or cbradley@chefjohnbesh.com for more information or to make your reservation.

Restaurant August
504-299-9777
301 Tchoupitoulas Street New Orleans, LA 70130
Make Online Reservations

La Provence
985-626-7662
25020 Highway 190 Lacombe, Louisiana 70445
Make Online Reservations

Courtesy chefjohnbesh.com:

More on Chef Besh's new book.