The tables are set with dozens of shining wine glasses as nearly a hundred guests filter into their seats. The talk is of the weekend’s game against the Gators and the elegantly printed menu at each seat as servers bring passed hors d’oeuvres to tables—a duck and rabbit terrine with dijon mustard, fried oysters with saffron aioli and a special Escargot Rockefeller.
The Oct. 20 dinner is the first installment of Galatoire’s Bistro’s guest chef dinner series, a new project to bring visiting culinary leaders into the Baton Rouge Galatoire’s kitchen for special, collaborative dinner events. Tonight, Chef Leon Galatoire himself has the floor.
In collaboration with Galatoire’s Bistro executive chef Kelley McCann, the fourth-generation Galatoire and former executive chef of the original Bourbon Street location prepared a menu entitled “A Taste of New Orleans.” Each course showcases the chefs’ combined talents to pay homage to elevated Crescent City flavors and comes expertly paired with a wine selection by sommelier Gabrielle Waxman.
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The bright and tangy first course of shrimp remoulade comes paired with a 2014 Domaine L’Eole Rosé, while the second course of creamy, slightly sweet French garlic soup comes with a palate-cleansing sauvignon blanc—namely, a 2013 Domaine Thomas & Fils Sancerre La Crêle.
The third course, a casserole aubergines au gratin, serves up a looser execution of one of Chef Galatorie’s favorites by baking diced eggplant with lump crabmeat and shrimp, topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan. Paired with a velvety 2011 Joseph Drouhin Volnay, the comforting course segues perfectly into the main event: medium-rare New York Strip. The succulent cut sings with a crust made of rosemary and ground porcini mushrooms and a Creole compound butter, and the pairing of a rich, slightly spicy syrah (a 2010 Jean-Luc Colombo Les Collines de Laure) anchors the meal.
Perhaps the most perfectly composed dish and wine pairing, though, comes in the final act. The elegant dessert course matches a chocolate/espresso panna cotta and a bruléed banana plank with a Warre’s Optima 10 Year Tawny Port. The ruby-toned port carries a heady sweetness and a slight touch of brown sugar and nuttiness, seemingly made to complement this dessert’s toasted pecan topping.
The night finishes with a heartfelt thanks from the chefs and an invitation to all guests to attend the next dinner, slated for mid to late November. As guests shake hands with chefs, hosts and servers on their way out, the series seems to be off to a promising start.
225 caught up with the men behind the Oct. 20 guest chef dinner to find out how the menu was created and what’s to come from the series.
What’s the vision behind this dinner series?
Leon Galatoire: I’ve been doing this kind of thing for about seven years now. I go around the country putting them on. I wanted to find something to do when I left the restaurant, and it’s been really successful in most of the club venues I do them in. I think it’s a great idea to start a series, and we thought it would be a splendid opportunity for us to bring on Chef Kelley and myself to kick things off.
What was the creative process like in your collaboration on this menu?
Kelley McCann: We want a general theme for the dinner, and for this one we picked “A Taste of New Orleans.” When you have a former executive chef of Galatoire’s [original location] in New Orleans, not to mention an actual Galatoire, A Taste of New Orleans is something that we can really bring to Baton Rouge. We just sit down and collaborate and have a conversation about food and iron out what we’re going to do.
Chef Leon, what do you think about what the Galatoire’s team in Baton Rouge has achieved so far?
Galatoire: They’re spot on. We didn’t want to duplicate Galatoire’s 209 [Bourbon Street], and we know it can’t be. The idea of doing a more casual but quality-driven restaurant in this area was most fitting. They’re bringing Baton Rouge a few things that are on the original menu, and they’re also able to get creative and explore different outlets.
Chef Kelley, how does it feel to get to prepare a menu and a meal with Chef Leon?
McCann: Oh, it’s great. I’ll be celebrating 10 years with the company on the 29th of November, actually. After so long, you think you’ve seen everything, but then working with somebody like Chef Leon is a little eye-opening. It’s a little humbling, as well. I love it, actually, having somebody who’s been in the kitchen for so long at the place I’ve worked for the last 10 years. It’s great to learn from someone like that.
What do you hope this guest chef dinner series will bring to diners as it continues?
Galatoire: We’re trying to keep the details somewhat of a surprise. But it’s an event that brings a lot of celebration into the restaurant, a lot of fun, and it’s an exciting experience for all the guests to have chefs come on our field and play.
What was your favorite dish that you brought to this menu?
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Galatoire: Escargot Rockefeller.
McCann: Chocolate and espresso panna cotta.
Keep watch on the Galatoire’s Bistro website (and 225 Dine) for information on the next guest chef dinner.