After graduating from Louisiana State University, Carl Schaubhut had a decision to make: attend LSU Law School or follow his dream of becoming a chef. With only the cooking knowledge that he learned from his family, the New Orleans native choose to take the jump at what he loved to do: cook.
Schaubhut worked at different mom and pop restaurants where he gained the skills to operate and run a restaurant kitchen. He helped open Fire on Annunciation Street in New Orleans where he was the sous chef until Hurricane Katrina hit and forced him to relocate to Florida. There, at the Fire on Annunciation Street’s Santa Rosa Beach location, he became the Executive Chef and further expanded his knowledge in the kitchen.
In 2011, he returned to his hometown and accepted the position of sous chef at the critically acclaimed Commander’s Palace. After two years of working under Executive Chef Tory McPhail, Schaubhut was asked by Ti Martin, one of the restaurant’s proprietors, to become the Executive Chef at the new sister location, Cafe Adelaide, in the French Quarter. He took the position and quickly started to receive rave reviews for what he was doing there.
Everything was looking up for Schaubhut. However, bad news came in 2014. After complaining of stomach pains and thinking that he had developed heartburn or worse, an ulcer, he went to the doctor. The doctors found something far worse than what he and his family had expected. They found a large tumor had grown in his stomach and it had spread to his esophagus and the surrounding lymph nodes. He needed to have surgery to remove a portion of his stomach and afterward he was deemed cancer free.
With the help of his friends and family, and not wanting to be set back and longer, Schaubhut continued on doing what he loved and with a friend and former co-worker, Jean-Pierre Guidry, opened his first restaurant, Bacobar, in Covington, Louisiana. Since it first opened, Bacobar has been admired for its Asian- and Latin-inspired street food with a Louisiana twist.
In 2017, Schaubhut wanted to bring his culinary skills back to his hometown and he opened DTB (which stands for Down the Bayou), a contemporary Cajun restaurant, Uptown in the Carrollton neighborhood. In the 2017 Eater New Orleans Awards, DTB won ‘Restaurant of the Year’, ‘Design of the Year’, and Schaubhut won ‘Chef of the Year’. The restaurant has been one of the most popular spots in New Orleans for not only it’s Cajun cuisine but also it’s award-winning cocktails by Beverage Director, Lu Brow.
Through all of the ups and downs, Schaubhut continues to fight on; not only to continue to build upon the success of Bacobar and DTB but also for his health – where there have been more setbacks. But through it all, one thing is certain, the love he has for his family along with his love of cooking still continues to fuel that passion that first motivated him to pursue that dream of becoming a chef.
{photo credit: Max Cusimano}
Who makes the best red beans and rice?
Honestly, never ordered red beans and rice anywhere except Popeyes because I ate it every single Monday my whole life until I went to LSU and left my parents house. That being said, Copelands back in the day had ‘Popeyes’ red beans but even more refined. We did a version of them at Commanders for staff meal every Monday that we would throw the leftover Cochon de lait from brunch into. That was tasty!
What types of memories are brought up when you have red beans and rice?
My parents…buttered french bread, Crystal hot sauce, and onions marinated in vinegar and black pepper – sounds weird but we always had it and it goes great with a rich bowl of red beans and rice. Good pickled red onion works too.
Great Louisiana popcorn rice (not parboiled) and crusty French bread. Again, I like to serve with pickled okra, pickled peppers, or pickled onions.
Do you prefer dried beans or canned beans?
Dried and soaked. Canned aren’t bad in a pinch though.
Do you use a certain type or brand of rice?
Cajun Country Popcorn rice or Jazzman rice.
Are red beans only for Monday?
Rules are made to be broken…eat them whenever, wherever.
What are you up to now?
Staying busy with DTB and Bacobar as well as working in Eat Fit Nola with Molly Kimball. Helping my wife, Alix, with her pilates and yoga studio named Grace. Raising two beautiful kids, Carr and Catherine, and doing any philanthropies or work I can do to help fight cancer, a disease I am battling myself. On top of all this: staying positive and busy.
{photo credit: dtbnola.com}
DTB is located at 8201 Oak Street, Suite 1 in New Orleans. For more information on the restaurant, hours, and menu, visit their website at www.DTBNola.com.
{photo credit: Bacobar Facebook page}
Bacobar is located at 70437 Highway 21, Suite 100 in Covington, Louisiana. For more information on the restaurant, visit their website at www.bacobarnola.com.
To help Chef Carl Schaubhut ‘Kick Cancer in the Gut’:
It’s Carl’s intention to fight once more, for as long and as intensely as he can. This current fundraising effort will help them cover the cost of the excellent care he is receiving and keep the home fires burning while they travel to MD Anderson in Houston to explore clinical trials and any other treatment options that may be available to them outside of their fantastic team at Ochsner. Treatment at this level is averaging 250,000 dollars a year. It can take a toll on even the most financially stable. Any unused proceeds will be donated to a college fund for their two young children.
In 2013, Molly Kimball collaborated with some of the most iconic and popular restaurants in New Orleans to create Eat Fit NOLA, a program that encourages chefs to offer more healthful options. The Ochsner Eat Fit seal highlights these better-for-you items right on the menu. Look for the Ochsner Eat Fit seal to find nutritious, delicious meals designed for those who want to eat clean, watch their weight, and control diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. Thanks to this program, eating nutritiously yet deliciously is effortless.
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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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