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Paul Prudhomme: The definitive story...
Posted on 10/8/15 at 10:11 pm
Posted on 10/8/15 at 10:11 pm
I understand there is a thread already here, as well as on the OT...But I'd read this article a year or so back after stumbling across it and I didn't see it referenced. I also saw some younger folks and out of town types asking about his impact.
The article says it all...things like Tasso and Andouille hadn't crossed the Orleans Parish line prior to him buying them in the country and bringing them to Commander's. Until K-Paul's, Crawfish did not appear on any menus in any restaurant on Earth outside of perhaps Antoine's. His family called him after a national morning show appearance early on FURIOUS that he had cooked "poor people," or "trash," Cajun Food...jambalaya...
Stop and think about how often you see Crawfish or Jambalaya or Gumbo on menus? bullshite, Nasty or total misses, things like this were total, complete unknowns to not only the nation...not only the region...but even in the state, no one knew this cuisine outside of Acadiana and other little enclaves throughout Louisiana.
Through his celebrity-never mind his skill-he extended the reach and brought to light the only known truly original American cuisine...to the rest of our world.
Everything that could be said has been said, but just read this article. It's an oral history of Prudhomme's journey from a small bakery to the top of the heap in the culinary world. This guy was doing locally seasoned, in-house butchering, farm to table 30 years ago. He may just be the original foodie...
LINK
The article says it all...things like Tasso and Andouille hadn't crossed the Orleans Parish line prior to him buying them in the country and bringing them to Commander's. Until K-Paul's, Crawfish did not appear on any menus in any restaurant on Earth outside of perhaps Antoine's. His family called him after a national morning show appearance early on FURIOUS that he had cooked "poor people," or "trash," Cajun Food...jambalaya...
Stop and think about how often you see Crawfish or Jambalaya or Gumbo on menus? bullshite, Nasty or total misses, things like this were total, complete unknowns to not only the nation...not only the region...but even in the state, no one knew this cuisine outside of Acadiana and other little enclaves throughout Louisiana.
Through his celebrity-never mind his skill-he extended the reach and brought to light the only known truly original American cuisine...to the rest of our world.
Everything that could be said has been said, but just read this article. It's an oral history of Prudhomme's journey from a small bakery to the top of the heap in the culinary world. This guy was doing locally seasoned, in-house butchering, farm to table 30 years ago. He may just be the original foodie...
LINK
7
Posted on 10/8/15 at 10:17 pm to GFunk
He put Cajun cuisine on the map for the world. You can't overstate what he did for the entire state.
Posted on 10/8/15 at 10:19 pm to OTIS2
I personally believe his accomplishments and talent dwarf all of the "great " chefs of our lifetime.
Posted on 10/8/15 at 10:30 pm to GFunk
Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Man did Chef Prudhomme leave a great legacy behind...
RIP Chef
Man did Chef Prudhomme leave a great legacy behind...
RIP Chef
Posted on 10/8/15 at 10:39 pm to GFunk
Purse Sanes began harvesting offshore just to keep up with the new demand by the blackened redfish craze.
But he really set the tone for the chefs we see today. He is why we have so many chefs that cook great food. His popularity and cooking stirred the pot and got things cooking!!!
Great job!!! I hope he enjoyed his life as much as we enjoyed his foods!!The man, single handedly, almost put red drum on the endangered list. He is why we have a 5 fish limit today!!!
But he really set the tone for the chefs we see today. He is why we have so many chefs that cook great food. His popularity and cooking stirred the pot and got things cooking!!!
Great job!!! I hope he enjoyed his life as much as we enjoyed his foods!!The man, single handedly, almost put red drum on the endangered list. He is why we have a 5 fish limit today!!!
Posted on 10/9/15 at 8:06 am to GFunk
quote:
"You could say (his legacy) is the food, the blackened redfish. But I think it's all the people he taught. There just weren't a lot of places like (Gabrielle) or Brigtsen's, little places that do fine dining."
All the people he taught... That says it all. Moon Landrieu and Paul Prudhomme did more to make New Orleans the great city it is today than any 5,000 other people combined. Rest In Peace mon Cher.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 8:14 am to Coeur du Tigre
quote:
That says it all. Moon Landrieu and Paul Prudhomme did more to make New Orleans the great city it is today than any 5,000 other people combined. Rest In Peace mon Cher
Did you compare Landrieu with Prudhomme?
Have you heard a single bad story about Paul Prudhomme? Ever?
Posted on 10/9/15 at 8:51 am to Oenophile Brah
I didn't compare them, I listed them. While we're on it, I should have added Ella Brennan to that list.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 8:52 am to GFunk
Thanks for the link. I learned quite a bit from that.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 8:57 am to Coeur du Tigre
Also, Garland Robinette and Poppy Tooker.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 9:09 am to Coeur du Tigre
quote:
Moon Landrieu and Paul Prudhomme did more to make New Orleans the great city it is today than any 5,000 other people combined.
The frick?
Posted on 10/9/15 at 9:15 am to OTIS2
Not trying to diminish Mr. Prudhomme as everything i've heard of the man, is how great of a person he was.
But wasn't Justin Wilson the precursor to Prudhomme? Or was JW just the first cook on tv to have a show?
But wasn't Justin Wilson the precursor to Prudhomme? Or was JW just the first cook on tv to have a show?
Posted on 10/9/15 at 9:17 am to GFunk
quote:
Until K-Paul's, Crawfish did not appear on any menus in any restaurant on Earth
Well that might be going a little far, but great story none the less.
Was eating Crawfish Ettouffee at Palace Cafe in Opelousas in the 60's
Posted on 10/9/15 at 9:26 am to Kajungee
I'll wager that The Jungle in VP had a dish or two on the menu.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 9:55 am to GFunk
quote:Bon Ton Cafe, the first Cajun restaurant in New Orleans, was certainly serving crawfish in the 50's.
Until K-Paul's, Crawfish did not appear on any menus in any restaurant on Earth outside of perhaps Antoine's.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 11:01 am to Stadium Rat
Frank Brigtsen wrote the below on his Facebook page.
quote:
I was 24 years old with no job, no apartment, and no car. I was back living at home with my parents. Things had to change. I picked up the Classified Ads and found a Help Wanted ad for Commander’s Palace. “Now hiring Creole cooks or people willing to learn Creole cuisine”. “That’s me”, I thought.
I asked Mom to drive me down for an interview. I met Chef Paul Prudhomme and we talked for one hour. At the end, he said, ”Come back next week and we’ll talk again”.
Mom drove me down again and Chef and I had another one-hour conversation. At the end, he said, “Come back next week and we’ll talk again”.
On the third visit, Chef asked me what I wanted out of life. “Where do you see yourself in ten years?” I said “I think I’d like to have my own little restaurant one day”. Chef said they would give me a chance and I had a choice. They could put me on the broiler station, pay me a good wage, and expect a lot out of me. Or, I could start as an apprentice, making very little money, but that I could expect a lot out of him. I chose the latter.
In 6 months, I worked every station in Commander’s kitchen. One day Chef asked if I would like to work for him at K-Paul’s. I had never heard of it, but said, “Yes, Chef”. K-Paul’s had been open for lunch for about 8 months and now we opened for dinner too.
Six years later, K and Paul sat me down and said, “We think you’re ready to go out on your own”. They lent me the money and support to open Brigtsen’s Restaurant a few months later.
The truly remarkable thing is that this is just one story of many. K and Paul impacted many thousands of lives just like they did mine. They both personify the phrase “A life well lived”. Thank you, Chef and K.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 11:48 am to BRgetthenet
Don't forget Vic Schiro...
Posted on 10/9/15 at 12:09 pm to Stadium Rat
quote:
Bon Ton Cafe, the first Cajun restaurant in New Orleans, was certainly serving crawfish in the 50's.
Yep.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 12:17 pm to glassman
What's the common theme for those restaurants guys? Outside of one or two in NOLA, we're talking about Opelousas? Ville Platte? These are places where Crawfish and other Cajun staples were part of the local food lexicon. How about someplace in Hammond? Or maybe Alexandria? Or Monroe? Perhaps Shreveport?
Outside of these small enclaves, what he popularized and brought to fine dining was revelatory.
It's humorous now that I think about it. I have a group of friends spread out from all over the country that I am in a three year group text with. We're all college football junkies. There's an FSU guy, a Washington guy, an Oregon guy, and several LSU Fans. All except for two or three are living on the West Coast. Biiiiiiig foodies, especially the Louisiana transplant in our group.
He went to el Bulli three times. Yes I know most people never went twice. He is-literally-that guy when it comes to food and drink.
Anyway, last night we were discussing Prudhomme in passing and he says, "He got famous from one dish and for introducing mid-westerners to Cajun Cuisine. He wasn't the best chef in New Orleans, or even on his own block."
I just had to laugh...There's no arguing with him. But...the forest he's missing is pretty big.
Outside of these small enclaves, what he popularized and brought to fine dining was revelatory.
It's humorous now that I think about it. I have a group of friends spread out from all over the country that I am in a three year group text with. We're all college football junkies. There's an FSU guy, a Washington guy, an Oregon guy, and several LSU Fans. All except for two or three are living on the West Coast. Biiiiiiig foodies, especially the Louisiana transplant in our group.
He went to el Bulli three times. Yes I know most people never went twice. He is-literally-that guy when it comes to food and drink.
Anyway, last night we were discussing Prudhomme in passing and he says, "He got famous from one dish and for introducing mid-westerners to Cajun Cuisine. He wasn't the best chef in New Orleans, or even on his own block."
I just had to laugh...There's no arguing with him. But...the forest he's missing is pretty big.
Posted on 10/9/15 at 12:31 pm to GFunk
I don't know how you declare someone "the best ever", but Chef Paul's influence rivals someone like Julia Child.
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