Archive for February, 2009

Exclusive Interview with Executive Chef of New John Besh Restaurant

Posted on: February 23rd, 2009 by admin No Comments

John Besh, chef and owner of several New Orleans restaurants including August and Lüke, will be opening a new Italian restaurant, Domenica, in The Roosevelt New Orleans this year. We got a chance to ask a few questions of Alon Shaya, executive chef of Domenica and partner in the restaurant, and the answers left our mouths watering…

Salumi will obviously be a big part of Domenica. Will you be using local pigs? What types of salumi, specifically, do you plan on offering, and why?

Once I returned from Italy that was the first thing I started doing. We had a few pigs from La Provence slaughtered and began curing the pig necks (coppa) the bellies for pancetta, the legs for culatello and fiochetto, and we also made lots of different kinds of salami, like strolghino and Gentile. Salumi will be a big part of what we do at Domenica because it is a big part of the everyday eating habits of Italians. I had a chance to work in a Salumificio (a butchery that makes all kinds of cured meats) outside of Parma and learned some very old recipes for different kinds of cured Italian meats, so that is what I am replicating back here in New Orleans.

I’ve heard that there are plans for a wood-fired oven for cooking meats, pizzas, and other Italian country fare. Can you whet our appetites with a hint of what’s to come?

We will have a wood fired brick oven in the kitchen to make Napolitano style pizzas. The great thing about those ovens is they also work great for roasting meats and fish, so we will take advantage of that as well. From Domenica you can expect the types of foods you would eat with families in the country sides of Italy. Braised game birds and rabbit, grilled whole fish with lemon and herbs, hand rolled pastas with simple sauces, ricotta and spinach dumplings, fritto misto of Louisiana seafood. These are the foods I remember eating all the time Italy and I think people in New Orleans have been missing out on some of these traditional dishes.

Italian cuisine is definitely not at the forefront of the New Orleans food scene. What inspired you to open an Italian restaurant? What will you be offering that visitors and locals can’t find elsewhere?

Italian food has always been my first love when it comes to cooking. When I first started working in restaurants they were all Italian and I learned under some really great chefs. Visitors and locals will be able to experience the foods that you find in small towns and villages throughout Italy. As I traveled through Italy I found the best foods to be in small trattorie and osterie that were run by families and usually had the grandmother at the helm in the kitchen. I made it my mission to study those foods with the intention of bringing it back to new Orleans. We will still have very recognizable foods like lasagne bolognese, but it’s a recipe I learned from the 83 year old grandmother of the chef I worked for in Italy.

What appeals to you, both as a chef and diner, about country Italian food versus a fine dining experience?

I love soaking up juice left on a plate with thick pieces of bread. I love the taste of fresh arugula over a grilled steak after its been sprinkled with a little salt and lemon juice, I love eating the pieces of carrots and celery in the bottom of a casserole dish of braised rabbits, I love the way the oil separates from meat sauce on a plate of hand cut tagliatelle. Need I say more?

Meet and Mingle In Style – The Roosevelt New Orleans Welcomes All to its Grand Ballrooms and Meeting Space

Posted on: February 20th, 2009 by admin No Comments

If the walls of The Roosevelt New Orleans’ ballrooms and meeting spaces could talk, imagine the magnificent tales they would tell.

“Our ballrooms represent the history and grandeur of New Orleans but also present a location with unmatched service and attention to detail,” said Mark Wilson, marketing and sales director at The Roosevelt New Orleans. “We want our guests to indulge themselves, while also envisioning these spaces as luxurious locations for their special events.”

The Roosevelt New Orleans has undergone a $145-million restoration and will feature nearly 60,000 square feet of event and meeting space. This includes three spectacular ballrooms and 23 distinctive meeting and event rooms that span two floors of the hotel. Additionally, the hotel will offer 504 luxurious rooms and 135 elegant suites located steps from the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans.

The Huey P. Long Executive Boardroom, the hotel’s premiere meeting space, has been named for U.S. Senator and Louisiana Governor Huey Long, who used a suite at The Roosevelt as his headquarters in the 1930s and was well-known by all of the hotel’s staff. Stories abound from his tenure at the hotel, including the flamboyant politician’s greeting of the captain of a visiting German ship while dressed in his green silk pajamas. The boardroom features 570 square feet of space and 10-foot ceilings, as well as the newest telephone, audio/visual and touch-screen lighting control technology available.

The Roosevelt Ballroom, the most expansive and glamorous of the three ballrooms, boasts 20,124 square feet of space and a unique feature not previously available in the hotel’s largest meeting space: “air walls” that quickly and seamlessly convert the room into five smaller spaces to accommodate meetings of various sizes, from a small meeting to a lavish, romantic wedding reception that any bride would envy. Gorgeous chandeliers hang from the high ceilings, dripping with crystal and creating soft, shimmering light throughout the room, regardless of its dimension.

The Crescent City Ballroom features 12,204 square feet of space and numerous layout options, including a banquet configuration for up to 700 people, a schoolroom design with tables and chairs for 523 and a theatre style for up to 1,227.

The Waldorf Astoria Ballroom is the ideal location for anything from a romantic, intimate wedding reception to a small to mid-sized conference. The room features 6,776 square feet of space and 14-foot ceilings, as well as the same five-star service available to all guests of The Roosevelt New Orleans.

The Blue Room – legendary with locals, visitors and celebrities – will return to The Roosevelt New Orleans. In the golden era of supper clubs from the 1930s to the 1960s, the Blue Room played host to some of the best-known names in entertainment and big bands – including Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Marlene Dietrich, and Sonny and Cher – as well as to elaborate floor shows. In addition to hosting Sunday brunch and regular entertainment, the Blue Room again will be available for the most special of special events, including weddings and carnival balls.

The Roosevelt New Orleans and Guerlain Partner to Open World-Renowned Spa at Historic Hotel in Summer 2009

Posted on: February 20th, 2009 by admin No Comments

The Roosevelt New Orleans and luxury spa operator Spa Chakra, Inc., today announced plans to open Guerlain Spa of the renowned Guerlain skincare brand, known worldwide for almost two centuries as a leader in beauty, at the landmark hotel in the summer of 2009.

The legendary Roosevelt is undergoing a $145-million historic restoration as the newest member of the Waldorf Astoria Collection(R). The 12,500-square-foot spa, to be located on the first floor of the hotel and accessible from both the hotel and Baronne Street, will serve hotel guests and the general public.

To further enhance its services to luxury travelers, the hotel worked with Guerlain Spa to develop an exclusive two-hour treatment that will be available to all patrons. Known as the Waldorf Imperiale, the treatment creates a cocooning experience focused on sensory renewal, with a complete body massage and facial featuring Guerlain’s age-defying Orchidee Imperiale skincare.

A historic downtown New Orleans property shuttered since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, The Roosevelt New Orleans will feature 504 rooms, of which 135 will be luxury suites, and nearly 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the spacious 20,000-square-foot Roosevelt Ballroom, 12,000-square-foot Crescent City Ballroom and 7,000-square-foot Waldorf Astoria Ballroom, along with a total of 23 distinctive meeting and event rooms. The historic Roosevelt, first opened as the Grunewald in 1893, once again will feature the famous Blue Room and the Sazerac Bar.

The spa, one of the largest and most complete in the area, will feature:

  • 10 private treatment rooms, including two wet treatment rooms and six luxurious dry treatment rooms.
  • A couple’s therapy suite, also the double VIP suite, so couples can experience all services in a relaxed and romantic setting. It features a private en suite bathroom with a steam shower that includes dual rain showerheads and individual controls for music and lighting for personalized experiences.
  • A VIP treatment room with en suite bathroom, which includes the same luxuries as the double VIP suite.
  • Vichy Shower treatments that consist of full-body exfoliations on a cushioned table with five to seven showerheads cascading water on strategic locations along the body to relax, restore and soothe muscle aches and tension.
  • Hydrotherapy facilities, including a Stas-Doyer hydrotherapy tub with up to 230 jets that create a whirlpool massage designed to relieve muscle tension in six key areas of the body.
  • A full-service salon offering high-end cuts and styles, as well as makeup application services.
  • A pre-therapy footbath and relaxation lounge.
  • An extensive retail section featuring the skincare, makeup and fragrance collections of Guerlain Paris.
  • 2,300 square feet of fitness space, including a private locker room and high-end equipment.

“Treatments from Guerlain Spa will be transformed into a customized moment created for each guest, much like the overall experience our hotel guests expect,” said Tod Chambers, general manager at The Roosevelt New Orleans. “From the selection of a personal Guerlain scent to the expertise of Guerlain’s highly skilled beauty therapists, our guests and visitors will embark on a journey toward rejuvenation that can only be described as transformational.”

According to Stephanie King, Guerlain Spa brand manager, “Guerlain Spa at The Roosevelt New Orleans will offer five-star delivery of beauty and well-being treatments, including facial therapies, harmonizing massage, intensive hand and foot therapies, and dedicated men’s therapies. Each Guerlain experience is based on the signature Guerlain Methode and advanced skincare technologies. Full- and partial-day spa experiences and hotel accommodation retreat packages also will be available.”

The introduction of Guerlain Spa at the landmark New Orleans hotel is part of a 2007 agreement between Hilton Hotels Corporation; Guerlain, of French luxury-goods-group Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton; and global luxury spa operator Spa Chakra, Inc. The initiative’s first spa opened at the company’s flagship Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York in September 2008.

New Generations of New Orleanians to be Hosted in World-Famous Blue Room and Legendery Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt New Orleans

Posted on: February 12th, 2009 by admin 13 Comments

NEW ORLEANS – Feb. 10, 2009 – Through more than a century of operation, The Roosevelt New Orleans served as the backdrop for many historic events and often made history in its own right. Key among plans to restore the property to its previous grandeur and appeal will be the reopening of the hotel’s famed Blue Room and legendary Sazerac Bar.

The smell of Eggs Benedict, musical notes from horns and pianos, and the sound of laughter from receptions soon will fill the air at The Roosevelt New Orleans’ world-renowned Blue Room, scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2009.

The Blue Room – legendary with locals, visitors and celebrities – also will return to the Sunday brunch circuit complete with delights such as mascarpone-stuffed French toast with house-made satsuma marmalade, boiled Gulf shrimp, a carving table featuring the finest roasted meats and much more.

Many big-band fans around the world will warmly recall turning to WWL radio at night and hearing the sounds of the Leon Kelner Orchestra, the house band, live from the Blue Room. With gleaming chandeliers and carefully restored architectural details, the renovated Blue Room once again will host live entertainment that appeals to all ages.

“The Blue Room is a household name not just in New Orleans but across the country and even around the globe,” said Mark Wilson, sales and marketing director at The Roosevelt New Orleans. “For decades, the Blue Room was a place for family and friends to enjoy good music and food and to celebrate life’s special occasions. We’re excited to reintroduce this pastime to new generations of New Orleanians and visitors.”

In the golden era of supper clubs from the 1930s to the 1960s, the Blue Room played host to some of the best-known names in entertainment and big bands – including Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Marlene Dietrich, and Sonny and Cher – as well as to elaborate floor shows.

In addition to hosting Sunday brunch and frequent entertainment, the Blue Room again will be available for the most special of special events, including weddings and carnival balls. For more information about booking the Blue Room for events, contact Earl Lizana, director of catering, at (504) 648-1200 or at earl.lizana@hilton.com.

The Sazerac Bar, a Roosevelt landmark for decades, again will serve its signature Sazerac cocktail and Ramos Gin Fizz – both invented in New Orleans and made popular worldwide by The Roosevelt – among other delights. In addition to beverages that stimulate the palate, patrons again will be able to enjoy the Art Deco-style murals by artist Paul Ninas and woodwork once held in awe by visitors.
When The Roosevelt New Orleans reopens, it will offer 504 guest accommodations, of which 135 will be suites, and 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the spacious 20,000-square-foot Roosevelt Ballroom, 12,000-square-foot Crescent City Ballroom and the 7,000-square-foot Waldorf Astoria Ballroom, along with a total of 23 distinctive meeting and event rooms. For more information, visit www.waldorfastoriacollection.com.

Memories of the hotel’s meeting rooms, the Blue Room and the Sazerac Bar can be logged at the hotel’s blog site: www.therooseveltneworleans.com/blog.

The Roosevelt New Orleans Noted on Two Travel Sites

Posted on: February 11th, 2009 by admin No Comments

Men’s Traveler

“Many big-band fans around the world will warmly recall turning to WWL radio at night and hearing the sounds of the Leon Kelner Orchestra, the house band, live from the Blue Room. With gleaming chandeliers and carefully restored architectural details, the renovated Blue Room once again will host live entertainment that appeals to all ages.”

Leisure Group Travel

“The smell of Eggs Benedict, musical notes from horns and pianos, and the sound of laughter from receptions soon will fill the air at the Roosevelt New Orleans’ world-renowned Blue Room, scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2009.”