Chef Jimmy Thomas

For years Harlem has been a beacon of culture celebrating jazz, comedy and theater, that is unique unto itself. Its a tourist destination that most people are familiar with.  I felt that there wasn’t a restaurant which represented true authentic New Orleans Creole cuisine. So I set out to create a concept that captured my families creole cuisine recipes.

As a chef, I’ve always felt that if you call your food authentic, you need to represent it to the fullest. I grew up in a household where my grandfather was a restauranteur and my Mother cooked her meals from scratch which she learned from her Father. Visiting my grandfather’s restaurant was magical because I saw him smoke and cook meats over an open fire. It was incredible to watch him manipulate fire and tame smoke while creating this awesome aroma within a thick glass pit of an indoor grill. My mother would make authentic sauces and would carefully add the ingredients needed. I learned then that sometimes cooking can be like theater. From ingredients used, to prep and execution. – Jimmy Thomas

Bio

While staging at Michelin star restaurants BlackBird and OTOM Restaurant, trained by his Mother and Grandfather (restauranteurs and chef). Opting to cook meals while in Paris, France and studied dishes during his visit to New Orleans In his search for Creole dishes that are truly authentic. Jimmy has also appeared on Food Networks – Supermarket Stakeout. Worked as a vendor under his Vicious Creole Cycle for various festivals including The World’s Fair, LIC Flea, Popup New York, Granger International Food Festivals, and Jersey City’s Whiskey.