The new cookbook Buttermilk and Bourbon is filled with recipes bursting with the flavors and textures of New Orleans. The book is written by Jason Santos, chef and owner of the Boston restaurant by the same name. Santos has also appeared on the television shows "Hell’s Kitchen," "Bar Rescue" and "The Today Show." He’s known for electric blue hair, and for his other restaurants, Abbe Lane and Citrus and Salt. The transcript below has been edited for clarity.
Henry Santoro: Congratulations on this amazing new book. Have you really had that hair for 23 years?
Jason Santos: I have. I did the CBS in the Morning show when I was 19 years old. I dyed my hair the night before in my hotel room, because I thought I'd be this great punk kid that would create a statement. They were not psyched with me the next morning. However, they certainly couldn't do the segment without me, so I did the segment and it happened to be a super highly rated segment. And there, you know, the rest is history.
Santoro: And it was so popular that you named your first restaurant Blue?
Santos: I did, yeah. It's sort of just been my signature. I mean, I always joke and say Emeril has his [widely-known phrase,] “BAM,” and I have my blue hair. But it's just a blessing and a curse. People recognize you more, and it makes you stand out, but it also makes you stand out. But it's cool, and it’s been good for me so far.
Santoro: Much like a rock band puts out a "Best Of" album, this is exactly what you've done with Buttermilk and Bourbon.
Santos: I have this huge bucket list of all these things I want to do, and a cookbook is not something that made that list. I think a cookbook is very meticulous, and tons of attention to detail, and that's sort of not my thing. I kind of have my hands in a lot of things. But finally, I thought it was time. I thought it would help my brand. More often than not, cooking every night, you just come up with all these great dishes. I'm so proud of what we've done at Buttermilk and Bourbon, that I had to put the recipes on the pages and get them in people's hands and let them just cook right out of it right at home.
Santoro: There's an old saying that goes like this: Behind every great man is an even greater woman. And I think Boston should collectively thank your wife for taking you to New Orleans.
Santos: Yeah, you know, it's funny. We joke about it all the time. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for her. It was my birthday, and she said we should go to New Orleans, I'd never been. And she surprised me and took me to New Orleans and we ate for three days straight. I mean, down to dark room, labored breathing on the way back, because we just ate and ate. And it just was so inspiring, it was such a great city. I loved everything about it. And I said, you know, one day I'm going to open this restaurant and try to reproduce the food and the hospitality we have here. And then, at one point I was ready to expand and I looked at a ton of spaces and I found the Vendome at 160 Commonwealth Avenue, this great below street level restaurant. And it just reminded me of New Orleans, before we even started construction. And I knew it had to be.
Santoro: You have three recipes in the book, one is called, literally the best fried chicken wings in the history of chicken — and they are. Another is chicken waffles, and then the 10-way cut fried chicken.
Santos: I think as a professional chef you hope that you make the best food [of] everybody. But let's be realistic. There's probably some better food out there. But I'll tell you the fried chicken, I've yet to have better fried chicken, and that's why I named it that, because I'm looking to be dethroned. I'm excited to try it. And I think ... sometimes people like white meat, sometimes they like wings, sometimes they like bone-in. So I made sure that this encompasses all the above. That way whatever you fancy, you can make it at home.
Santoro: And everybody loves fried chicken. If he is not on TV, he's in one of his restaurants, but tonight you can meet chef Jason Santos from 7pm until 8:30pm at the Trident Booksellers on Newbury Street in Boston. You can pick up a copy of Buttermilk and Bourbon: New Orleans Recipes with A Modern Flair. And Jason will be more than happy to sign it for you.
Santos: I have a fresh sharpie ready to go.
