A Taste of Louisiana Lands in NYC

Chef Rob Tabone of PATULA will bring his bold, Southern-inspired cuisine to New York City this August. From August 1–17, Maison du KREWE’s &HOLIDAY Wine Parlor will host a limited-time pop-up, offering guests a taste of New Orleans. The menu will feature Louisiana seafood and seasonal small plates, expertly paired with natural wines. We spoke with Chef Rob to learn more about PATULA's story, the inspiration behind the dishes, and what he’s bringing to the table in New York.

Tell us about PATULA. How did the concept come to life at KREWE's New Orleans headquarters, and what inspired its evolution into a pop-up experience in New York? And what is the inspiration behind the name?

Patula is an all-day cafe bistro in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. We’re located in the back courtyard of KREWE’s Flagship New Orleans store. I got involved with KREWE a couple of years ago after cooking for their Ten Year anniversary office party. We worked on a couple of collaborative events together that were a lot of fun. Hospitality has always been an aspect of their brand, and they were looking to grow a partnership like this at the exact same time I was outgrowing the pop-up and catering model I had built. Stirling Barret has not just been a business partner but instrumental in helping me dial this vision in. We share a lot of the same values on hospitality and quality. It was a natural fit! Long ago, in our French Quarter space, there was a Creole restaurant called Marigold. We actually found some of their old cookbooks online. There's a curry crab recipe in there that we like a lot. We wanted to find a thread to that past. The scientific name for the Marigold is tagetes patula, the patula part’s Latin translates to “with a spreading nature.” It references how the flowers grow towards the sun. We want people to come, relax, feel like they can spread out and enjoy a break from the bustle of the Quarter. August is historically slow in New Orleans; some restaurants close for the whole month. We wanted to stay active and keep the ball rolling. Some of the best farm goods and seafood in Louisiana are only available in the summer, and it doesn’t necessarily get the spotlight it deserves. This is a great opportunity to really show it off.

How are you adapting PATULA’s menu for this New York residency, and what’s staying true to its New Orleans roots?

We’ve brought a lot of awesome stuff from the Gulf, oysters, tuna belly, and southern peaches that we pickled at the start of the season. That commitment to our Gulf Coast fishers and farmers is definitely a big part of what we’re doing up here. The menu is small but mighty, and we will change it as need be. We’re up here for three weeks, so we’re also excited to work with New York farmers and fishers and extend our relationships up here as well. We’re a modern Louisiana restaurant, though we’re always going to bring hospitality regardless of where we’re at.

What’s your creative process when it comes to crafting seasonal small plates?

I’m a less-is-more chef. My process is very relationship and season-based. We start with what’s in season, what are the farmers excited about? What are we excited about? Is there a process or experiment we want to try out and can work through and learn something new? Once some of those questions get answered, then it’s onto kind of what’s the best way to work with something. Some peas are better for a puree than a salad.

The pop-up kicks off with National Oyster Day. What do oysters mean to you as a chef, and how are you showcasing them for the August 5 celebration?

Oysters are such a part of life in the Gulf. They’re a perfect food too; good oysters have a complexity all their own. They tell you about where they’re from. We’ve brought some Murder Point oysters up with us; they are salty and have a nice melon and mushroom flavor to them right now.

What do you hope New Yorkers experience when they step into the &HOLIDAY Wine Parlor during your residency—what feeling or flavor do you want them to walk away with?

I want people to walk away feeling taken care of. We have a small menu & intimate seating and we’re going to use that to highlight New Orleans hospitality and put some big flavors on the plate.