Trail Blog
April 08, 2011
Chef John Besh Dishes on His New Cooking Show
He’s no stranger to television. New Orleans chef John Besh has appeared on such series as “Iron Chef America” and “Top Chef” and stars in the TLC series “Inedible to Incredible.” But now he’s recently come back home—to the Crescent City studios of WYES—to film the 26-part cooking series “Chef John Besh’s New Orleans.”
Inspired by his 2009 cookbook, “My New Orleans,” the show features personal stories, cooking tips and techniques, and favorite recipes that draw upon Creole classics and contemporary tastes.
The series will appear nationwide on public television stations, so be sure to check your local listings. In the New Orleans area, you can watch on WYES Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. CT, with repeating episodes on Sundays at 2 p.m.
Recently, the award-winning chef and restaurant owner took time to answer our questions about the new show, his favorite local resources, and whether or not he ever makes a mistake in the kitchen.
Louisiana Culinary Trails: Between your work with "Iron Chef America," "Inedible to Incredible," and other shows, television is nothing new to you. But how did this show come about?
Chef John Besh: I was inspired, as a young boy, with great chefs like Paul Prudhomme and Justin Wilson cooking the foods of my childhood for the world. I’m now in a position to step into the shoes that they once filled by producing a food show right here in New Orleans cooking those same foods that inspired me as a child. This is worthy TV with a focus on our culture and place. It thrills me to no end to be such a steward of this great tradition.
LCT: The show draws from your "My New Orleans" cookbook, which we particularly loved for its inclusion of personal stories and extra background on regional culture. Will you be bringing that same sort of personal touch to the show?
Chef John Besh: Our food is personal. You have your gumbo, and I have mine. What makes them different is that our mothers came from different places and cooked with different ingredients. The special things that make our cooking unique also make this show unique. You can’t enjoy the food without a little story to go with it, can you?
LCT: Are there any plans to take the show out of the kitchen to showcase the city?
Chef John Besh: We wanted as much good cooking and good juicy tidbits of information about our food as possible in this show, which limits how much out-of-kitchen things we’ll do. In each show, I’ll highlight certain aspects of our city but, for the most part, I’ll be where I belong, behind the stove.
LCT: For someone who doesn't know what defines Creole food, how do you describe it?
Chef John Besh: The only indigenous urban food in America that was passed down to us by our African, French, Spanish, German and Italian heritage. Creole is a much more cosmopolitan style of cooking than that of our Cajun neighbors that reflects the rich and diverse culture of New Orleans.
LCT: What lessons about Creole cooking and New Orleans cuisine/culture do you hope viewers take away from the show?
Chef John Besh: I want people to understand how approachable the food is as well as how steeped in locality and seasonality it has been and still is. It’s not a “has been” cuisine but one that is continually evolving with each newer culture leaving its own ingredient in our gumbo pot.
LCT: I'm sure it's hard to pick favorites, but share with us a few of your favorite recipes—whether because of their flavors, their simplicity, or even the stories behind them—that we can look forward to seeing on the show.
Chef John Besh: This is a tough one. For me, I could make a whole show just about oysters, crawfish, crabs and shrimp.
LCT: You're a champion of using local products. In New Orleans, where do you shop for these or who are some of your favorite purveyors of local products?
Chef John Besh: I’ve got a whole resource list in the back of “My New Orleans” that I love to refer folks to. I’d have to say that the first on my list is to find your local farmers market—start there. For me, it’s the Crescent City Farmers Market, St. James Cheese Shop, Kenny’s Seafood in Slidell, P&J Oysters, Rouses Supermarkets, etc. I could go on and on about all the great food purveyors I use. Support what’s local! That’s the key.
LCT: We hear you have a new cookbook coming out later this year. Tell us what we have to look forward to.
Chef John Besh: It’s all about my cooking at home, the way we really eat when we’re on the go. With four boys, one wife, seven restaurants and a dog, it’s real important for me to apply the kitchen logic that I’ve acquired over the past two decades to my home cooking. The book comes down to a passionate plea to America to start cooking at home.
LCT: We know you as one of the country's top chefs, but do you ever have miscues in the kitchen? Can you share one with us to make us home cooks feel better?
Chef John Besh: I have them every day, but nothing earth-shattering. Most of my miscues take place while I’m distracted, cooking at home. My wife would roll her eyes if she were answering this question. I have been known to smoke out the house every now and then by forgetting the bread in the oven. Master chef that can’t remember the bread in the oven.
LCT: With four sons at home, do they ever help you out in the kitchen? Do you have any tips for getting kids involved in meal planning, etc.?
Chef John Besh: Yes, I constrict them into the kitchen on a regular basis, sometimes they love it and sometimes they don’t. I’ve got two that love helping me with breakfast, one with a sweet tooth and the other that just wants to cook for himself. I love beginning with simple things like making cobblers, pain perdue (French toast), egg dishes like omelets and so on. Quick is the key. Most importantly, the key to preserving our heritage is through our children cooking.
You can learn more about chef John Besh and his new show by visiting www.wyes.org/johnbesh.
