The city's food landscape: expertly laid out by author Beth D'Addono
City Eats New Orleans by Beth D’Addono
review by Paul Oswell
As we talked about in our recent review of Alma Cafe, the recent evolution of the restaurant scene in New Orleans has been a celebration of gastronomic diversity. A new book by locally-based food writer Beth D’Addono is a timely distillation of that evolution. Profiling more than 50 chefs and restaurants, ‘City Eats New Orleans’ highlights the traditions, trends, and chef-driven recipes that help make the argument for New Orleans being the best food city in America.
Along with classic recipes from a diverse lineup of chefs, D’Addono asks: which restaurants matter in New Orleans right now? How has the city’s dining scene changed in the recent past? Who are the chefs shaping what we love to eat? Interviews help give context to the food scene, and the elevated design and photography make it a lovely book to have around the kitchen.
It’s endlessly interesting to read the philosophies of 50 local chefs one after the other. You can get a glimpse into the brains of everyone from Tommy DiGiovanni (Chef de Cuisine at Arnauds) to Nina Compton (Executive Chef at Compere Lapin and BABs), to Chef Meliassa Araujo at Alma Cafe, and Chef Maya Masterson at the Black Roux Culinary Collective.
There are also mini culinary guides to the city and its neighborhoods. In short, it’s a panoramic overview of all that’s good and inspiring about the city’s food scene. Locals will find as much to enjoy as the visitors that plan their trips around food tours and restaurant tasting menus.
“I have the best job in the world,” says D’Addono, who covers the New Orleans restaurant scene for outlets like Eater, Gambit, and a host of other outlets. “There has been a big shift since the pandemic closed our hospitality industry. Sadly, we lost a lot of restaurants. But many chefs also found their voice, opening restaurants and taking a long overdue seat at the table. With this book, I wanted to dive deeper into what’s new, what we’re eating right now, and what will always matter.”
This book is an expertly-written, comprehensive and vital snapshot of the city’s contemporary culinary landscape, and will interest everyone from the casual diner to the enthusiastic foodie. If you’re interested to hear more, Beth will be discussing the book with various chefs around the city over the course of the rest of the year. The schedule for this monthly ‘happy hour’ (and her July date at Dakar was very enjoyable) is:
· August 21, 5-6 pm: Hermes Bar at Antoine’s with co-owner Lisa Blount
· Sept. 11, 5-6 pm: The Bower with Chef Marcus Woodham
· October 8, 5-6 pm: Mister Mao with Chef Sophina Uong
· Nov.13, 5-6 pm: King at Kimpton Hotel Fontenot with Chef Sam Peery
· Dec. 11, 5-6 pm: Polo Lounge at Windsor Court Hotel with Chef Vlad Cogan
City Eats New Orleans (Cider Mill Press/Harper Collins, $22.99) is out now