Life tends to deliver milestones in clusters, never spreading them out at a leisurely pace, but stacking them up all at once. This week is no exception. On Saturday, my daughter is getting married—a once-in-a-lifetime event. Then, two days later, I board a plane to spend the next eight weeks working overseas. It’s not idealContinue reading “The Weight of a Wedding”
Author Archives: paul
End of an Era: The Last Chapter of Coney Island Café
Some people judge towns by their population. Others point to school systems, parks, water and air quality, or thriving local businesses. But to me, the character of a town is best measured by its small, independent restaurants and cafes—the places that stand the test of time. They’re more than just places to grab a meal—they’reContinue reading “End of an Era: The Last Chapter of Coney Island Café”
The Wedding
These days, emotions are running high. One minute, I’m in my truck thinking about our restaurants or the travel business, and the next, a song comes on, and I’m blinking back tears. Not over business, not over projects—over something much bigger, and way more important. My daughter is getting married in 18 days. I’ve cateredContinue reading “The Wedding”
Ribeyes, Foxes, with a Side of Zebras
In the 1990s, I was at a statewide board meeting for the Mississippi Restaurant Association, and during a discussion about tourism, I mentioned the Hattiesburg Zoo in my hometown. That got some laughs. “Hattiesburg has a zoo?” they scoffed. Some of them chuckled like I’d just suggested we start promoting Hattiesburg as the next greatContinue reading “Ribeyes, Foxes, with a Side of Zebras”
My Kind of Town: RSJ’s Chicago Favorites
CHICAGO— This city has been a part of my life for the past thirty-five years. It’s a city that holds a special place in my heart, not only for the food but for the people and the memories that have shaped my career in hospitality. Since I started writing this weekly column 26 years ago,Continue reading “My Kind of Town: RSJ’s Chicago Favorites”
S’mores Are a Sticky Lie
Last week, a polar vortex blew through the region and New Orleans got eight inches of snow. I think that’s a record. We had a couple of inches in Hattiesburg—just enough to shut everything down and turn the South into a snow day for grown-ups. The night before the freeze seemed like perfect weather forContinue reading “S’mores Are a Sticky Lie”
The Weight of Weather and a Wedding
A bitter cold has settled into the Pine Belt of Mississippi this week, and it’s the kind of chill that makes you appreciate the sweltering days of August. Down here, cold weather feels like an event, something that calls for a hearty soup on the stove and extra layers by the backdoor. As the temperaturesContinue reading “The Weight of Weather and a Wedding”
A King Cake Conversion
Most of my life, I wasn’t a fan of Mardi Gras king cakes. Even during the decades when I consumed bucketsful of sugar—cereal straight out of the box, candy by the case—I still thought king cakes were over the top. Too sweet, too dry, too artificial. The filled ones I came across were like oversizedContinue reading “A King Cake Conversion”
Holy Smokes: Discovering Barbecue Heaven at Sacred Ground
For most of my early life, barbecue wasn’t much of a staple. Not because I didn’t like it—far from it—but because there simply weren’t a lot of barbecue options in Hattiesburg, Mississippi during the 1960s and 70s. There was a popular legacy restaurant called The Wagon Wheel, and it was beloved by locals, though manyContinue reading “Holy Smokes: Discovering Barbecue Heaven at Sacred Ground”