Burke Bischoff has storytelling in his blood. Growing up in Gretna on the Westbank, he was already a book lover and storyteller by the time he was six, a passion that followed him throughout school and into college. His love for words only deepened at Loyola University, where he dove headfirst into writing, honing his voice in both fiction and non-fiction.
At Loyola, Bischoff wrote for the university’s award-winning newspaper, The Maroon, tackling all kinds of assignments. Eventually, he became a Senior Staff Writer, covering breaking news and taking on those last-minute stories.
Bischoff’s career took off after college with an internship at WYES-TV, New Orleans’ PBS station, where he got into television production. He soon moved up to Production Assistant and Associate Producer, working on popular shows like Steppin’ Out and Informed Sources. He even worked on the documentary film NEW ORLEANS: The First 300 Years (2017), narrated by John Goodman, and New Orleans Fair Grounds Memories (2014), both of which celebrate the city’s rich history.
Since 2015, Burke Bischoff has been a steady presence at WHERE Y’AT magazine. He started as a copyeditor before becoming a writer and rising to Executive Editor. Now, he oversees everything the publication puts out, helping shape stories that capture the pulse of New Orleans.
His latest project, the book Po’boy, published by LSU Press as part of the “Louisiana True” series, is a love letter to one of the city’s most iconic foods. Bischoff doesn’t just tell the story of the po’boy; he brings it to life, from its origins in the streetcar strikes of 1929 to the many ways it can be made. With his own photos and words, he shows why this sandwich is such a vital part of New Orleans culture.
{photo credit: Bischoff’s Facebook}
What’s your earliest memory of eating red beans and rice? Who made it, and what made it special?
When I was growing up in the ‘90s and 2000s, my parents, grandparents, brother, and I would always go over to Harvey for special family gatherings that were hosted by my great aunt, whom I knew as “Aunt Tookie.” Lots of folks from my dad’s side of the family would gather at her house and she would cook all kinds of dishes for everyone, including baked mac and cheese, roast and gravy, and red beans and rice.
My extended family is fairly large, so we would go to her house constantly for birthday parties and other such events for many, many years. I remember she would also open up her house to the family every Monday so that people could come in, eat her red beans, and just spend time with her. We also couldn’t leave without bringing a big Tupperware of red beans back home with us. She was a very sociable person, and I think she just really loved cooking for her family.
All of that came to a stop in 2018 when she passed away, and I, unfortunately, don’t see that extended family nearly as often as I used to after that. She was definitely a special woman who really had a talent for bringing that side of my family together for a long time. I really do miss her and how she would kind of keep the family close together with her red beans.
Do you cook red beans and rice yourself, or do you leave it to someone else? Who’s the red beans master in your family or circle of friends?
Whenever I’m with my immediate family, it’s usually my dad and I making both the beans and the rice. I wouldn’t call us “masters,” but I think we do a good job with it.
When you think of the perfect bowl of red beans and rice, what has to be in there? Any secret ingredients or special techniques?
It has to have the Trinity in it. If a bowl of red beans and rice doesn’t incorporate bell peppers, onions, and celery, then I feel like it’s missing an important part of its identity. It would be like getting gumbo or jambalaya without the Trinity in it. It would just taste off.
When I do red beans at home, the Trinity is definitely in there. I like sprinkling in some gumbo seasoning for an added hit of flavor, as well. Also, whether I’m making it at home or ordering it from a local restaurant in New Orleans or on the Westbank, I’m always putting Crystal Hot Sauce on top.
Where do you like to buy your red beans? Is there a specific store or brand you swear by?
I like getting my red beans from either of the two Rouses Markets that are in Gretna. If I’m getting a bag of beans, I’m definitely getting Camellia Brand red kidney beans. On days when I’m feeling more like a can instead, then I get Blue Runner’s Creole Mirepoix red beans.
For the rice, I always get Jazzmen Rice’s brand of white jasmine rice. It’s very delicious and it gives off a really pleasing smell while the rice is boiling. That’s been my go-to rice for years, and I think it goes great with red beans, my dad’s gumbo, and some different Asian-style meals that I’ve made in the past.
Do you have any special traditions or superstitions when it comes to cooking red beans and rice?
Every single Monday for a couple of years now after Aunt Tookie passed away, my dad and I do a “Grill and Chill” where we sit in the backyard of my family’s home, put something on the grill, and oftentimes cook red beans and rice, have a few drinks, and just talk about work, life, or really anything that comes into our minds while relaxing outside. My paw paw was included in the mix too until he passed away in 2022.
So nowadays when I’m making or eating red beans, I associate it in my mind with spending time with both my dad and paw paw—all of us relaxing outside over a few beers.
Is red beans and rice a Monday-only meal for you, or do you sneak it in during the week too?
While I usually have red beans on Mondays, I’m definitely not opposed to having them any other day of the week, especially when I’m out and about on weekends.
What’s the most unique or memorable twist you’ve seen on red beans and rice? Ever tried it with a surprising ingredient?
So there’s this restaurant I enjoy going to on Royal Street called Bennachin, and they serve West African food from The Gambia and Cameroon. They have this dish on their menu called sorso wolengho ni mano, and it consists of cooked-down red beans and chunks of beef sausage that are served over rice. It also tastes like they put ginger into the mix, which gives it an interesting flavor profile.
Anyone who is familiar with the history of the city will probably know that a lot of people who were brought over to New Orleans as slaves came from the Senegambian region of West Africa. A lot of things that New Orleans is known for in terms of its culture and cuisine have roots in that region of Africa. You can also see that in Bennachin’s namesake dish of jollof rice, or “African jambalaya” as it’s referred to on their menu. So I think it’s neat seeing and eating what could be considered the “original version” of red beans and rice.
If you could have red beans and rice with anyone—past or present—who would it be, and why?
I would like to have some red beans and rice with my grandparents and Aunt Tookie again. It’s been a number of years since they all passed away, but I do miss them still.
How do you think the tradition of red beans and rice reflects the culture and community around it?
I think red beans and rice are quintessentially New Orleans. I don’t think there’s really any other place in the world that places so much reverence and tradition into a simple dish of rice and beans, and I believe it shows the resourcefulness and talent of New Orleanians to turn such simple and even leftover ingredients into one of the most emblematic dishes of the city. Just like po-boys, gumbo, jambalaya, and so many other wonderful dishes, red beans and rice are an essential part of New Orleans’ culinary soul.
What’s the best part of sharing a big pot of red beans and rice with friends or family?
I think it’s the act of coming together as a family or a group of close friends to enjoy a dish that is so ingrained into New Orleans’ identity that I find most pleasing. I think people who live in the Greater New Orleans area know that we have a one-of-a-kind type of cuisine down here that’s unlike anywhere else in the U.S., and we have to do what we can to keep these dishes alive. If we as locals don’t show our continued support for local dishes like red beans and rice, then we run the real risk of losing them in the future.
Where is your favorite spot anywhere in New Orleans?
That’s a very tough question to answer because New Orleans is just filled to the brim with amazing, one-of-a-kind restaurants, and I love a good many of them.
I guess, back against the wall, one local restaurant that my family and I constantly think about and are always excited to go visit would have to be Bratz Y’all in the Bywater. It’s the only authentic German biergarten of its kind in the city. Chef Sven Vorkauf and his team do an incredible job with everything on their menu.
Their sausage sandwiches, schnitzels, sauerkraut, potato salads, and freshly-made pretzels with horseradish herb dip are all to die for and, in my opinion, even taste better than some of the food that my family and I had when we visited Germany. Plus, it’s nice to see a fully dedicated German restaurant be successful in New Orleans, which historically had a very large and influential German population. My family and I will always make the trek from Gretna to the Bywater for Bratz Y’all.
What’s your favorite go to comfort food?
I really love Vietnamese food, and one of the first Vietnamese dishes I remember ever trying when I was in high school is called bánh hỏi. It’s surprisingly a pretty hard dish to find in Greater New Orleans, but it’s basically pressed or woven vermicelli noodles that come with a side plate of lettuce leaves, pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, basil, and a small container of nước chấm, aka fish sauce. Protein-wise, I always get chargrilled pork with my bánh hỏi.
You take the lettuce, put the vermicelli and meat within the leaf, add whatever toppings you want from the side dish, wrap it up, and dip it into the fish sauce. Sometimes, depending on the restaurant, you can also get some rice paper on the side for an upcharge and basically make your own spring rolls right at the table. I absolutely love this dish, and I will always seek it out whenever I’m in the mood for Vietnamese or if I want to eat something that I know for a fact I will always enjoy.
Do you have any projects that you’re working on that you’d like to pass along?
I’m currently working on a project that is related to my book Po’Boy, which was published by LSU Press in 2023 and looks at the history and cultural significance of New Orleans’ iconic sandwich, but that will materialize more in mid-2025.
Besides that, and aside from my regular work at Where Y’at Magazine, I’m working on giving presentations about my family’s history of running a dairy farm in Gretna in the 1900s, which ties into the history of German immigrants within that city.
To stay up-to-date with Burke Bishoff, be sure to follow him online:
- Website: https://burkebischoff.wixsite.com/burkebischoff
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burke.bischoff/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/burke-bischoff
{photo credit: Bischoff’s Facebook}
Burke Bischoff and the new book Po’Boy:
Po’Boy tells the story of how a humble sandwich became a symbol of New Orleans culture, history, and cuisine. Invented to help feed a crowd of out-of-work individuals in New Orleans’s streetcar industry, the po’boy is a submarine-like sandwich served on French bread, with common fillings that include fried seafood, roast beef and gravy (“debris”), and hot sausage. Rich with historical detail, Po’Boy welcomes readers into the world of the city’s most iconic sandwich.
- LSU Press website: https://lsupress.org/9780807180471/poboy/
Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.
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