Pastry Chef Lisa White Trades New Orleans for Nashville, and More Intel

Pop-Up Watch

• Gemellis, from Lilette executive sous chef Edward Charles, pops up again at Lilette on Sunday, March 5, for a special four-course Italian, family-style, Lenten dinner. Sauteed jumbo shrimp, pasta “fazool,” cioppino, and marsala-poached pears with lenten biscotti are on the menu. Tickets are $60 and include wine pairings (but do not include tip).

Moving On

• Beloved Willa Jean pastry chef and partner Lisa White has made a permanent move to Nashville as the executive pastry chef for John Besh’s new projects at the Thompson Nashville Hotel. Live vicariously and take a look at her new dessert menu at Marsh House. It may be worth a trip for the “bananas & rum.”

Required Reading

• In a new book from Phaidon, “Where Bartenders Drink,” Chris Hannah Arnaud’s French 75 says he prefers Erin Rose and the Saint. [NYT]
• This is required reading for two reasons: New Orleanians are still recovering from the shock that shook Mardi Gras — Burger King has bought Popeyes (don’t touch that fried chicken recipe) and it is damn near impossible to pass up a headline like, “How Al Copeland and His Spicy Thighs Turned Up the Heat on the Fried Chicken Game.” [Nola.com]

Coming Soon

• Helen Freund takes a look at what is planned at DTB - from Lu Brow’s brown butter washed bourbon to crawfish bread made with pate a choux mini-loaves stuffed with crawfish tails and green chili fonduta. [BoNO]
• Nora McGunnigle reports that Royal Brewery New Orleans will begin brewing soon in New Orleans East. [BoNO]