Home Again
"We went to New York City to learn," says Louisiana native Alison
Vines-Rushing , who along with her husband, Slade Rushing , will open
Longbranch
Restaurant (21516 Hwy. 36, Abita Springs, 985-871-8171) next week.
"We really just went up there to cook. We didn't think we would be chefs."
Vines-Rushing not only became the co-chef with her husband at Jack's Luxury
Oyster Bar , but in 2004 was named James Beard's Rising Star Chef of the Year.
Despite their success in New York, the couple, which met while working under
Gerard Maras , was eager to return to New Orleans. "We were more inspired
by what was happening in New Orleans than in New York," she says. In May
when they learned that Artesia in Abita Springs was up for sale, they jumped
on the opportunity. "It felt like fate," Vines-Rushing says. The menu
at Longbranch includes the inventive Southern dishes the couple perfected at
Jack's, such as "deconstructed" oysters Rockefeller, tenderloin of
veal with creamed collards and crispy skinned redfish in a pig feet sauce.
See Chefs Cook
See the five chefs that Louisiana Cookin' (www.louisianacookin.com)
named the "2005 Chefs to Watch" at a dinner benefiting the nonprofit
Cafe Reconcile (1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 568-1157; www.cafereconcile.com)
at 7 p.m. on Aug. 29. Louisiana Cookin' , a bimonthly magazine dedicated to
the state's cuisine, collected nominations from area chefs, restaurateurs and
culinary instructors. The top contenders were evaluated anonymously by the magazine's
editors and publisher. This year's winners are Kristen Essig
of Savvy Gourmet (4519 Magazine St., 895-2665; www.savvygourmet.com),
Bob Iacavone of Cuvee (322 Magazine St., 587-9001;
www.restaurantcuvee.com),
Anton Schulte of La Petite Grocery (4238 Magazine
St., 891-3377; www.lapetitegrocery.com),
Holly Goetting of Charley G's (3809 Ambassador
Caffery Parkway, Lafayette, 337-981-0108) and Chuck Subra of
La Cote Brasserie (700 Tchoupitoulas St., 613-2350; www.lacotebrasserie.com).
At Cafe Reconcile, the chefs will collaborate on a five-course meal that includes
Goetting's pear and basil pesto goat cheese salad, Iacavone's two tomato gazpacho
with avocado ice cream and Essig's honey and Creole mustard-glazed Cornish hens.
The tax-deductible tickets are $100. Call 482-3914 for reservations.
Zaint Charles
Zea Rotisserie and Grill is a favorite around the New Orleans
area, but until now the local chain had no location actually in Orleans Parish.
The new restaurant in the Lower Garden District (1525 St. Charles Ave., 520-8100;
www.zearestaurants.com)
features Zea's unique menu of roasted meats and wood-grilled seafood. To the
disappointment of many, the new location will not have Zea's popular beers brewed
at the Metairie location. State liquor laws, unfortunately, only allow brewpubs
to sell their beer on their own premises.
