Chef Jamie Shannon
Executive Chef of Commander's Palace in New Orleans, LA

Brad: Hello everyone, welcome to the PepperFest^® Chef Chat. Tonight's guest speaker is Chef Jamie Shannon of Commander's Palace. Chef Jamie is walking in as we speak...

Brad presents the speaker with question #5 from TABASCOkim: What's your favorite restaurant in N.O.?

Jamie Shannon: That's a hard question. Casual, i go to Uglesich... Mr. B's I like their barbecue shrimp... For crawfish I go to Frankie and Johnnie's. I like to go to Emerils' ... New Orleans has so much to offer, depends on what you are looking for i think.

Brad presents the speaker with question #13 from Beach_bum: What seems to be the current favorite dish ordered at [Commanders'] Palace?

Jamie Shannon: Of course I love Commander's... Our biggest seller are the specials of the day. Like tonight the softshell crab--Stone crab cake, seared, that was popular today also.

Brad presents the speaker with question #11 from TABASCOkim: So, how and when did you know you wanted to be a world-renowned chef?

Jamie Shannon: I've been cooking since i was 16, but i didn't realize it until I was in college. I was in this speech class and I had to write on what I wanted to be. And I wrote I wanted to be a chef. I worked for a lot of different chefs around the world. Finally decided I wanted to be an American chef. I moved to New Orleans about 13 years ago.

Brad presents the speaker with question #20 from Beach_bum: How is the Softshell Crab Special prepared. I have some in the freezer!

Jamie Shannon: We flour and egg wash it, add french bread crumbs and fry it. We saute it with a little crab stock and local beans, filed peas, onions, local peppers, crawfish tails, a touch of butter then we make an onion marmalade that we cook with vinegar and a touch of sugar.

Brad presents the speaker with question #15 from TABASCOkim: What seafood is best this time of year?

Jamie Shannon: Something fresh, in season, smack in the middle of second split of softshell crab, shrimp really good, still going, oysters right around the corner, trickling in. Some nice tuna, swordfish, also some pompano lately. And some stone crab claws.

Brad presents the speaker with question #23 from Tomato-rodriguez: what school was that?

Jamie Shannon: Went to Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New york.

Brad presents the speaker with question #31 from Tomato-rodriguez: great school!

Brad presents the speaker with question #27 from Dixiepixie: Was last in Commander's in December & had the Filet Mignon Adelaide, what do you do to it to make it melt in your mouth?

Jamie Shannon: Top quality filet, trim them up a lot, trim them very very well. If you leave fat it will be tough--Also grill at a high heat. Sear, high heat, sear the juices. That's what it's all about.

Brad presents the speaker with question #30 from Tomato-rodriguez: what do you think about those chinese crawfish?

Jamie Shannon: I think they are good, not as good as what's in your own backyard. If I'm in china though, I don't want Louisiana crawfish.

Brad presents the speaker with question #26 from Dixiepixie: Will be dining at Commander's in a few weeks, what is the name of the dining room that overlooks the street & cemetery?

Jamie Shannon: That's on Washington Avenue? That's the Garden Room on Washington The little dining room is called the Little Room Then you have the Coliseum Room.

Brad presents the speaker with question #19 from TABASCOkim: I love Frankie & Johnnie's, especially when I'm in the mood for stuffed artichokes.

Jamie Shannon: Yea, so do I. I love stuffed artichokes, one of the coolest creole dishes.

Brad presents the speaker with question #28 from TABASCOkim: When do you add the TABASCO^®? (Shameless plug)

Brad shakes his head.

Jamie Shannon: To what? We finish our gumbos with TABASCO^®. I make TABASCO^® Sauce, dressing, even ice cream. Even brought some to China with me.

Brad presents the speaker with question #33 from Dixiepixie: What dinner entree do you recommend the most?

Jamie Shannon: Tough one. I like grilled fish or different fish specials - always a winner.

Brad presents the speaker with question #32 from Tomato-rodriguez: do you use them? (the chinese crawfish)

Jamie Shannon: No. I go the extra mile to use local product. Most of it in a hundred mile radius of restaurant.

Brad presents the speaker with question #34 from TABASCOkim: I use Italian bread crumbs, parmesan and garlic to stuff artichokes. Any suggestions for additional ingredients?

Jamie Shannon: Use your own backyard, That's what makes great creole food and what we're all about. Use the best olive oil you can and fresh oregano and fresh basil chopped up plus thyme, basil ... that works really well. I put Oysters in my artichokes and make it a whole meal when I'm cooking for my wife and I at home.

Brad presents the speaker with question #36 from Tomato-rodriguez: I've been to these chats before, and they always end before I can say thank you for chatting, so let me say thanks now!

Jamie Shannon: Thanks for the thanks. Great.

Brad presents the speaker with question #25 from Chip: where have you worked?

Brad: Mark your calendars: Next month's chat is Chef Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen's of New Orleans. Chef is thinking...

Jamie Shannon: My last job was Emeril's. I was his Executive Chef. Before that Ivana Trump. Lot of fun, dream situation, cost no issue.

Brad presents the speaker with question #40 from Tomato-rodriguez: what is your favorite wine to go with that melt in your mouth filet mignon.

Jamie Shannon: The Creon at the Plaza Concord in Paris. Resorts International in their French and Italian Gourmet room. Sirah. Zinfandel I love wine period. The Storybook is not too powerful, nice. Got an altamara that would go well.

Brad presents the speaker with question #41 from Tomato-rodriguez: you really worked for Ivana?

Jamie Shannon: I truly did.

Brad presents the speaker with question #43 from TABASCOkim: Any scoop on Ivana? Just kidding, gossip isn't cool.

Jamie Shannon: They were getting ready to separate when I left. The menu was gold plated.

Brad chuckles in amusement.

Brad presents the speaker with question #44 from TABASCOkim: What did Ivana like to have for dinner?

Jamie Shannon: Salads. She ate salads.

Brad presents the speaker with question #42 from Dixiepixie: What type of sauce is used on the Bread Pudding?

Brad presents the speaker with question #47 from Tomato-rodriguez: chef Jamie, I think you're the funnest chef I've chatted with.

Jamie Shannon: Must be the Ivana Trump story.

Brad: What type of sauce is used in the Bread Pudding...

Jamie Shannon: Reduction of cream, lots of sugar and lots of whiskey. All those good things in life. It is the sauce that makes it.

Brad presents the speaker with question #48 from Tomato-rodriguez: I'll have to try your food, last time I was in commander's was 1990- were you there?

Jamie Shannon: I sure was.

Brad: Last question...

Brad presents the speaker with question #51 from Tomato-rodriguez: do you like stag's leap wines.

Jamie Shannon: Yeah. It's excellent. If they ever want to bring me a bottle, tell them I'll drink it.

Brad: Well I think thats about it for tonight's chat - I want to thank Chef Jamie Shannon and everyone for coming and joining in.