Author Archives: Robert

We opened our first restaurant in 1987. When we started the work that September, we had no opening date in mind. I don’t even think we set a goal or a target date. We had no idea about the opening date because we really had no idea how to run a restaurant. We were wingingContinue reading “Christmas In July”

The late great American chef and icon, Paul Prudhomme created and developed thousands of recipes in his lifetime. His books are filled with his culinary genius and creativity. Though, above all the recipes listed in all the indexes in his books, the one recipe that will still be attributed to him decades from now willContinue reading “Legacy Recipes”

Inspiration sometimes comes from the strangest places. I can watch a movie and pick up on one three-minute scene that reveals to me exactly why that writer or director was driven to make the movie. It was obviously a scene that had been rolling around in the director/screenwriter’s head and an entire plot and castContinue reading “Inspiration”

My New Orleans restaurant to-do list is almost complete. Actually, it will probably never be complete as there will always be new restaurants to visit and old standbys to re-visit. But the original list I compiled several years ago is nearing the end. I have been eating in the Crescent City all of my life,Continue reading “Mosca’s”

For the second time in two weeks my schedule took me to the Panhandle of Florida to deliver a speech to a trade group. When travelling, I have always kept a food journal. Throughout the year I refer to it and reflect on meals and experiences enjoyed. I also use the journal as reference notesContinue reading “Florida Food Journal II”

“There is a time for everything, and a season for everything under the heavens.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 It’s true, everything has a season. Especially here in the South. Some southerners see the seasons as football season, basketball season, and baseball season. Others live by dove season, deer season, duck season, and turkey season. When oneContinue reading “Southern Seasons”

DESTIN, FL— Sometimes people get dazzled by the shiny things. Everyone wants to go to the new hot place. More times than not, I like the classics. It’s that way with music. It’s that way with movies, and it’s that way with food. I am at the end of a two-day quick jaunt down intoContinue reading “The Classics”

In 2020, America was running out of chicken tenders, masks, hamburger meat, hand sanitizer, and plastic gloves. But we were also running low on recreational vehicles. Everyone still wanted to travel, but no one wanted to get on an airplane if there were even any airplanes still flying. There has never been a time inContinue reading “The Airstream”

Author’s Note: This column is being written on Memorial Day. Due to the publishing schedules of the various newspapers in which this column appears, it will be read anywhere from two days to one week after Memorial Day. An editor might say, “It’s not timely.” I would respond, “It’s always ‘timely.’ This subject is somethingContinue reading “Memorial Day 2021”