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Where the chefs shop by Poppy Tooker Nothing tickles me like encoun tering New Orleans’ greatest chefs accompanied by their children in the carts, “making groceries” for their home kitchens. “It’s our neighbor hood grocery,” Alon Shaya declared. “I stock up on basics but, with four year-old Ruth riding in the basket, I often end up with pretzels, cookies and croissants too,” he laughed. When the James Beard Award-winning chef finally takes a little time off, he heads to Rouses for head-on shrimp to use as bait for redfish he catches in the bayou. And Shaya’s wife, Emily, relies on Rouses to always have Chisesi’s Smoked Ham Shank, the secret ingre dient in her award-winning beans. In the earliest days of Pomelo, Chef Aom Srisuk and Frankie Weinberg’s boutique Thai restaurant, the Tchoupitoulas Rouses store repeat edly saved the fledgling establishment from disaster. “When our original ice machine failed, Rouses became our ice source. We bought large quantities of ice,” Weinberg remembered. Now that the husband/wife team operate a second restaurant, Good Catch Bistro in the Central Business District, the Downtown Rouses has come to the rescue too. “We hosted a large party that requested vegan options,” Weinberg said. For a vegan dessert option, Chef Aom discovered Mauna Loa’s Dairy Free Ice Cream made from macadamia nut milk at Rouses that perfectly complemented her menu. Isaac and Amanda Toups of Toups Meatery and the soon-to-come Armada Restaurant both adore Rouses. Isaac said, “I love the dry-aged ribeyes and the lump crabmeat. The booze selection is top-notch and, best

kind of rum that we don’t normally have, so I just ran to Rouses and was easily able to fulfill that special request.” As a lifelong New Orleanian, food has always been central to my life. When I wander down the aisles of my favorite Rouses store, I sometimes run into chef friends but I also enjoy visiting with Rouses employees. From the guy at the fish counter who knows just the size I want my salmon fillet cut, to the butcher who trims my holiday standing rib roast to order and the cashier who always greets me with a smile and wants to know, “Whatcha cookin’, dawlin’?,” Rouses is simply my happy place.

of all, I can grab some fresh flowers for Amanda too.” Amanda tears up when she reflects on Rouses Markets’ generous support of Toups Family Meal, the couple’s nonprofit feeding program dedicated to bridging the gap of food insecurity in New Orleans. “Every time I reach out to Rouses the answer is always, ‘Yes! How can we help?’ Chef Samuel Peery remembers his first trip to Rouses after moving to New Orleans to become executive chef at King Brasserie. “I actually took photos to send to chef friends around the country. There was everything from pickled pig’s feet to gator tail and turtle meat!” With a menu that focuses on Mediterranean cuisine, Chef Peery loves to experiment with some of the specialty imports he finds at Rouses. Another recent New Orleans trans plant, Andrew Bell, discovered Rouses when he lived in the French Quarter. “I love Rouses,” he exclaimed. “It’s an easy shot from The Bell” (the authentic British pub he operates on Esplanade Avenue). “Anytime we run out of an ingredient, we run to the Mid-City store. When I have a night off, I head there for fresh veggies to cook at home for a really healthy meal,” Bell said. Haitian-American chef Charly Pierre of Fritai regularly shops at Rouses for mirlitons. “They’re always fresh and well-priced,” he reported. The highly seasoned dishes of Haiti require a lot of fresh, hot peppers too. “I find the scotch bonnets and habaneros there along with jasmine rice. Often, there are exotic wild mushrooms I use for inspiration too.” At Tableau, Dickie Brennan’s restau rant located on historic Jackson Square, head of marketing and promo tions Lindsay Ross often finds herself running to the Royal Street store for fresh flowers to decorate tables for parties and special events there. “When we hosted a huge Muses private party, the host requested a particular

Chef Charly Pierre

Chef Charly Pierre, co-owner of Fritai

in Tremé, opened his Haitian inspired restaurant in 2016. In its first year, Fritai earned nods from Louisiana Cookin’ (Chefs to Watch), Vogue (Restaurants of the Year), Eater NOLA (Best New Restaurant), and a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant.

Chef Alon Shaya Chef Alon Shaya is a James Beard Award winner and Chef-Partner of Pomegranate Hospitality, which includes Saba in

New Orleans, Safta in Denver, and restaurants at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans. He’s also the author of a bestselling cookbook, Shaya. His next venture, Safta’s Table, opens later this year in New Orleans’ Lakeview neighborhood. Images Courtesy Fritai & Saba

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