Interview with Chef John Besh at Restaurant August in New Orleans
In addition to all the restaurants, philanthropic work, television and other special appearances, Chef Besh likes to cook in the kitchen with his chefs as much as possible, but he is particularly hands on at his flagship restaurant, August. Mentored by chefs like Daniel Boulud and Danny Meyer, he knew this life would not be easy. However, this incredibly busy man is finally finding the time to spend more time at home with his family.
“To have this life I’ve always dreamed of having…I am the luckiest guy on Earth. My dreams change. I have seen bad things here with Katrina and in combat. If there is another hurricane, I could lose everything. We need to live for something bigger than ourselves and we have to love it.”
Thank you so much to Chef John Besh for his generosity in taking the time out of his very busy schedule to meet with us. Thank you also to his staff at August for arranging everything for our interview. It was truly a pleasure.
I would also like to thank Chef Erick Loos and the staff at La Provence for the time they spent with us during our visit. Some of the photos in this piece were taken at La Provence, one of Besh’s restaurants, located in Lacombe, Louisiana.
We dined at Restaurant August when we were in New Orleans in February and were thrilled to have another opportunity to do so on this trip. It is a very special dining experience and I highly recommend that you put it at the top of your list when traveling to New Orleans.
Chef Besh’s book, My Family Table, A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking, will be released next week. I was able to preview the book before it’s release. The photographs are beautiful and it is thoughtfully written. It is truly a plea for people to get back into their kitchens and cook for their families. There are suggestions for stocking your pantry with essentials to make cooking at home easier. The book is also full of cooking tips and various techniques. The recipes are perfect for creating the type of communal meals that Besh wants families to have together.
Some of the chapters in the book are aptly named for those of us who cook for our families: School Nights, Breakfast with my Boys, Sunday Supper and Barbecue Wisdom and include many approachable recipes for the home cook. I chose to share this recipe for Pecan-Baked Ham from Chef Besh’s new book since the holidays are right around the corner and baked ham is a favorite of many families during that time of year.
About Chef John Besh
A native of Southern Louisiana, Chef Besh’s long list of accomplishments include six highly acclaimed restaurants (August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provence, American Sector and Domenica) that focus on the local foods and traditions of the region. He recently opened Lüke in San Antonio, his first restaurant outside of Louisiana. Besh was named one of Top “10 Best New Chefs in America” by Food & Wine and and his flagship Restaurant August was featured on the late Gourmet magazine’s “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants,” and “America’s Top 50 Restaurants.” He won the James Beard Award for Best Chef – Southeast in 2006, and was awarded Food Arts’ Silver Spoon Award in 2009 for revitalizing the culinary legacy of New Orleans.
Chef Besh is also a frequent guest chef on the NBC Today Show, and has appeared on several shows on the Food Network. His most recent television endeavor is Chef John Besh’s New Orleans, which focuses on cooking New Orleans classics along with some more contemporary dishes, food history, and his personal childhood memories from his beloved New Orleans. Author of My New Orleans and the soon to be released, My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking, Besh is very involved in philanthropic endeavors in his state of Louisiana.
A former U.S. Marine, Besh partnered with Arkel International (emergency reconstruction specialists based in Baton Rouge) to provide high-quality and ready-to-eat meals for thousands of emergency response teams and strategic operations in the United States and around the world. This initiative promotes the Gulf Coast’s food culture as well as the supporting the Louisiana economy. The Louisiana Restaurant Association named him Restaurateur of the Year in 2008 in recognition of Besh’s far-reaching contributions.
Pecan-Baked Ham
Chances are you won’t find a really good cooked or smoked ham in the supermarket. It’s hard to determine quality by looks alone. All I can say is never use canned ham, and search out a good Italian butcher or ask at your farmers’ market for the best local cooked ham. In the South, we pretty much have pecans coming out of our ears. As a matter of fact, there’s nothing our pigs like more than pecans. We like to coat our hams with pralines, those sweet candies made in New Orleans. But brown sugar and butter will work almost as well if you’re careful to use soft butter and make sure to mix all the ingredients well before you slather the mixture on the ham.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 5-pound good quality cooked ham
2 medium onions, chopped
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. In a small bowl, mix the pecans, sugar, and five-spice powder with the butter until you have a fine, crumbly mixture. Rub generously over the ham, patting the crust with your hands.
2. Scatter the onions in the bottom of a heavy roasting pan and add about 2 cups water. Place the ham on the bed of onions. Slide the pan into the oven and roast for about 2 hours, checking to make sure there’s still liquid in the pan. As the water evaporates, add a bit more. The ham is done when a nice glaze forms on the outside.
3. The pecan mixture and the water in the pan will create their own sauce to pour over the ham after you’ve sliced it into beautiful pink rounds. If the sauce seems too thin, just pour into a saucepan and reduce it.
Reprinted with express permission
Chef John Besh
My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking
Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC
I have to admit that I cheered heartily when Chef Besh didn’t make it to Iron Chef America. He’s too good for a Food Network show. Once Chef Morimoto is gone, the show is finished (my opinion). Like many, ICA was my introduction to Chef Besh and I was immediately drawn to what can only be called a gift. He’s amazing. I’m so, so very envious that you were able to meet him in person. How amazing it must have been to be in the kitchen with him and his staff. Thanks for sharing the experience.
I love John Besh. There, I’ve said it. Always thought he was robbed of being an Iron Chef; but now I’m in agreement with the previous comment…he’s too good for Food Network!
Thanks for sharing this experience and lucky you!
Bravo – great interview, Gwen, and beautiful images, too! The August space is so elegant with the fabulous wood treatment (is it Pecan, Mahogany?) and Mr. Bunkycooks should be proud of the prawns and dessert photos (OMG – YUM!), not to say wooly pig, young Chef Jackie and Eric, and you, too! Chef Besh certainly walks the talk. I’m so impressed with his local philanthropic pursuits. It’s all about working from the ground up and he really gets that. I’ve ordered his book and look forward to adding it to my special cookbook collection!
Pardon my gush: he is even cuter than I thought he was already! 😀
What a neat opportunity for you!!!
I love John Besh! He’s such an amazing chef and even better person. You can tell he loves his craft and has his heart fully in it.
A few years back, my younger brother photographed John Besh for a magazine. He said he was a very nice guy. He also brought home some pastries that Chef Besh made. They were the best pastries I have ever had. I have followed his story since then and hope to meet him one day.
I enjoyed the interview and pictures. Thanks.
Gwen, you are the luckiest person to have been able to not only interview Chef Besh but just spend time with him in his kitchen. Just having heard him speak, his incredible energy and passion was so amazingly inspiring and I so would love to talk with him and dine in one of his restaurants, taste his food. He is not only a fabulous chef but such a giving, generous person for all he has done for his city, especially after Katrina. Inspiring! Fantastic interview, Gwen, and the cookbook has been added to my list! xo
What an insightful interview with Chef John Besh. I admire him even more for his foundation and its pursuit to provide a healthier life for the underprivileged. How lucky you are to have been able to dine there twice. The prawn dish looks beautiful.
I’m with Jamie…you are so fortunate to have spent time with him at his restaurant. What a great interview. It was incredible to hear him speak with you a few months ago. He is generous and kind and a dynamic public speaker.
Wow, what a great experience to get that behind the scenes look!
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