Robert St. John and Wyatt Waters relax on a bench in Marsala, Sicily, at the end of a long day of research for their new book, “An Italian Palate.”
Hattiesburg, Mississippi’s, Robert St. John is a chef, entrepreneur, and author recognized for his work by the likes of Food Network, Travel Channel, and National Public Radio to name a few. For thirty years, St. John has built a career and a life out of his passion for studying and providing fine-food experiences. He owns the Purple Parrot Café, Crescent City Grill, Mahogany Bar, Branch Cocktail Bar, and Tabella, all part of his New South Restaurant Group and all located in Hattiesburg. He is also the author of nine books and has written a syndicated food column for nearly fifteen years.
We spoke with St. John recently about the drive and focus behind his culinary success as well as his upcoming showcase at the Natchez Food and Wine Festival, featuring An Italian Palate, a book written by St. John and illustrated by Mississippi painter Wyatt Waters.
CR: How did you get your start as a chef and restaurateur?
RSJ: Back when I was in high school, I was a radio DJ; so when I went to college, I started out in communications. I soon found that I did not have the passion for communications I expected. So, I took some time off and worked in a restaurant. I instantly fell in love with the restaurant business with that very first job.
After that, I set my path to make a life in the restaurant business. I went back to school and got a degree in hospitality, and opened my first restaurant, the Purple Parrot Café, in 1987. I’m proud to say the Purple Parrot is still thriving and the first restaurant in our New South Restaurant Group.
CR: What do you think is the secret to longevity in the restaurant business?
RSJ: Consultants will tell you it is location, location, location. But to me, it’s management, management, management. All our managers have been hired from within, which means they may start as a dishwasher; but by the time they work their way up, they know every detail and expectation by heart, and they have a vested interest in making customers happy.
CR: Tell us more about your upcoming Natchez Food and Wine Festival event with Wyatt Waters at Rolling River Bistro.
RSJ: Wyatt and I are excited to be a part of the Natchez Food and Wine Festival! I’ll be cooking a four-course luncheon while Wyatt paints at Rolling River Bistro on July 25. It will be an interactive event. We’ll be telling stories about our adventures in writing and illustrating An Italian Palate, while creating dishes and scenes from our travels from the southern tip of Sicily up to the Alps.
CR: What was it like traveling abroad with your whole family, kids in tow, writing a cookbook?
RSJ: This was truly the experience of a lifetime. Even today, we are still realizing the effects this journey had on us as a family. We covered seventeen countries, sixty cities, and two continents in six months. We now measure everything in our lives by “before the trip” or “after the trip.”
CR: What draws you to Waters’ work for your books?
RSJ: He and I see the same people, the same South, but through different lenses—him through a paint brush and me through a frying pan. Wyatt joined us in Italy during our travels and created 128 paintings, sixty-four of which we were able to put in An Italian Palate; and I believe it is our best book to date.
Join St. John and Waters during the Natchez Food and Wine Festival, July 25, as they share tales from their Italian travels as well as their own Southern stories. St. John will also read his poem, “My Mississippi.” While they chat with the audience, St. John and his culinary team will prepare dishes inspired by An Italian Palate, and Waters will perform a live painting. Limited to only seventy-five guests, your $100 ticket buys you four courses with wine pairings. Guests will also be able to pick up a copy of An Italian Palate while there.
To buy tickets to St. John and Waters’ demonstration luncheon, go to natchezfoodandwinefest.com.
Details. Details. Details.
An Italian Palate Presentation
Rolling River Bistro, Natchez, Ms.
Saturday, July 25 at 11 am
$100 per person
natchezfoodandwinefest.com
