“It’s a very cool project,” says Tanabe, who was brought on by local restaurant guru Anthony Rapillo. When it came to the chef’s vision, “the No. 1 thing I told Anthony was, ‘Hey, we need to make our own pasta from scratch,’” he shares. But not just any old pasta: Rather than churning out “traditional spaghetti or linguine,” Tanabe reveals, “we’re going to be making rooster combs and radiatori—different styles of pasta you don’t see that often here in Raleigh.”
Indeed, Flour & Barrel will flaunt Italian fare—Tanabe-style. “I’m not Italian, everybody knows,” says the culinary powerhouse. “What I’m doing, it’s my take on Italian food. If you ask me to come to your house and cook some Italian, well, I’m going to cook it, but I’m still going to use my flavor profile.” In fact, Tanabe wouldn’t even go as far as calling Flour & Barrel an “Italian” restaurant: “We are a place serving pasta—really good pasta,” he emphasizes.
To wit, Tanabe shares that 90% of the restaurant’s menu is cooked in a giant pizza oven, giving it that perfectly imperfect “rustic” flair. “We’re going to be roasting fish and chicken in there, and braising meatballs,” he explains. And don’t sleep on the cocktails: Tanabe took advantage of the craft brewery on-site to concoct several creative sips combining beer with spirits like gin and amaro.
Beyond his restaurant work, Tanabe is in the early stages of writing a cookbook. “It’s separated by moments in my life—like when you’re happy, when you want to entertain people… when you’re going through depression,” he explains. By showing “how different times in my life have affected my cooking style,” Tanabe hopes to create something that’s equal parts fun and relatable.
And, as if he wasn’t busy enough already, the celeb chef has a number of projects in the works in Chicago—from a partnership with iconic bakery Bittersweet to the Windy City debut of his fast-casual Mexican kosher eatery Mexikosher (also on the horizon: a Chinese kosher joint in Chi-town). He’s even got his sights set on Atlanta, which he’s currently eyeing as a potential destination to reopen High Horse, his first Downtown Raleigh venture that shuttered in 2020.
Despite all his jet-setting, Tanabe says Raleigh is home. “My wife and kids told me already, ‘We’re never moving out of Raleigh,’” he shares. “Moving [here] was probably one of the best things we’ve ever done.” … And we couldn’t agree more.
Tanabe answers our burning Qs.
Best local dish or resto you’ve tried lately? Boulted Bread. That bread is just the best bread I’ve ever had. We are lucky to have such a good bakery in Raleigh. The awful part is on Sundays, usually I wake up late and when I get to the bakery they’re almost out of everything.
Go-to summer cocktail? We have amazing watermelons, so I like to juice and cold-press them. … Imagine a whiskey sour, but with a sour watermelon. So, you put watermelon juice, American whiskey, sweet and sour, and a little egg white; shake it; and put it in a martini glass.
Favorite place to be when you’re not working? Believe it or not—cooking. Living in NC, especially in Raleigh, we have an amazing backyard. Living in LA, I didn’t have anything like that. I have seven different grills. I like to smoke; I like to braise—I like to do it all. We do a lot of nontraditional BBQ, so we’ll do a lot of Asian-inspired dishes. … We try to go quite often to the farmers market to see what’s available locally and then just go wild. My kids, my wife, we love doing that.
Dream chef collab? I was able to cook with Brother Luck, Brooke Williamson, Casey Thompson—all these people I see on TV and admire. So that’s a dream I’ve actually accomplished. … And the best thing is, cooking with friends you actually get to learn—you learn real techniques. All these guys on Top Chef are just amazing people to cook with.
One thing still on your bucket list? I want to open a very elegant Japanese restaurant. … I’m working on it.
In 15 years, Poole’s has recast the Raleigh culinary landscape.
A “modern diner with reimagined comfort food,” Poole’s elevated more than our palates when it splashed on the scene 15 years ago on a sleepy section of McDowell Street. With its Southern staples (nod to that coveted mac and cheese—aka crackaroni!), craft cocktails and rotating seasonal dishes chalked up on the signature chalkboard, Poole’s easily put Raleigh on the map as a dining destination. And landed Raleigh its first (and only) Beard chef—and now 2x winner as 2014 Best Chef Southeast and 2019 Outstanding Chef—in the top toque behind it all, Ashley Christensen.
Since its inception, Poole’s has unequivocally evolved and elevated the local culinary landscape. Christensen and Poole’s are now surrounded by a celebrated cast of epicurean greats who rival some of the best chefs and restaurants in the country—as, all the while, Christensen’s star has skyrocketed.
But to put it all in context, accomplishing 15 years with one restaurant alone is no small feat—never mind the Poole’s proprietor’s business boom. Roughly 60% of restaurants fail in their first year alone, according to the National Restaurant Association, and 80% within five years.
The magnitude of Poole’s success isn’t something Christensen takes lightly. “It means so many things, many of which I am still processing daily,” she says. “First, it means our team created something that has stood the test of time—and a pandemic. This is thanks to 15 years of amazing contributors and an incredible community of supporters who have grown with us. Fifteen years under our belts reminds me of the importance of continuing to learn and grow with the world, and to remember that change is not failure, it is evolution.”
So, on Dec. 13, to commemorate a benchmark 15 years, Christensen and her team will spend the evening cooking a special dinner at Poole’s to benefit the Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen of Raleigh. A fitting fete, as arguably the chef’s recipe for success is her community engagement, both in her dedication to the city she feeds—body and soul—and in her direct mentorship of her peers. Over the last decade-and-a-half, some of those “contributors” to whom Christensen nods are part of a powerhouse pool of Poole’s talent whom she has mentored—and who have emerged as hospitality titans in their own right.
And beyond that wide net and still-rising star, Christensen still has big plans for Raleigh. To extend the anniversary celebration, 2023 will see monthly curated events focused on the entire ACR company straight from Christensen’s bucket list that will host some big names. “Kait and I are excited to bring some amazing hospitality leaders from around the country to Raleigh,” says the ACR namesake. “We are thrilled to share these folks and experiences with our city—but also to share the awesomeness of Raleigh with our visitors.” … I think I speak for all of us when I say, let’s get this party started. ac-restaurants.com
Now sitting at the helm of a culinary empire that shows no signs of slowing—as you likely know—Ashley Christensen’s AC Restaurants group notably houses highly acclaimed sup spots including the likes of Beasley’s Chicken + Honey, Death & Taxes, and Poole’side Pies. Not to mention her 2021 ubersuccessful leap into the fast-casual realm with rapidly expanding BB’s Crispy Chicken. And, beyond the borders of her bistros, she’s also added acclaimed author to her restaurateur résumé, with an AC Events arm to boot. NTM serving as mentor to 15 years of amazing contributors—all stars in their own right.
Morgan Street Food Hall’s Buena Papa Fry Bar is getting a little taste of stardom.
If there’s one thing that unites everyone in the world, it’s food. And in recent weeks, award-winning Mexican celebrity chef and TV personality Pati Jinich (of PBS TV series Pati’s Mexican Table fame) came to Morgan Street Food Hall’s Buena Papa Fry Bar as part of a new digital series called Thriving With Food with the nonprofit Stand Together—which premieres mid-April.
The series highlights local immigrant chefs’ stories, contributions and influences on local food scenes. During this special Raleigh visit, Buena Papa co-owner Johanna Windon (a native of Bogota, Columbia, who immigrated to the U.S. when she was 6 years old) and her husband, James, chatted with Jinich about “how, as Americans, we are all united by our shared connection of people coming from all over the world to contribute to our country—especially through food.”
Jinich also cooked side-by-side with the Buena Papa chefs in a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives-style format (minus the bleach blonde hair…).
But before you tune in to this little fry-day activity, a little background on Buena Papa… The husband-and-wife team founded the casual eatery in 2021 in Raleigh. Buena Papa’s (which translates to “good potato”) menu was inspired by the Columbian food Windon grew up eating—and, fun fact, the entire menu is in Spanish in an attempt to help English-speaking customers learn the language—plus, a lot of the ingredients are specially imported from Colombia.
Once you try Buena Papa’s loaded fries (topped with everything from Colombian refried beans and fried pork belly to meatballs and tomato sauce to grilled chicken and tzatziki), you’ll understand the a-peel… and that’s something everyone can agree on. buenapapa.com
WEB EXCLUSIVE Morgan Street Food Hall’s Buena Papa Fry Bar is getting a little taste of stardom.
If there’s one thing that unites everyone in the world, it’s food. And on March 17, award-winning Mexican celebrity chef and TV personality Pati Jinich (of PBS TV series Pati’s Mexican Table fame) will be coming to Morgan Street Food Hall’s Buena Papa Fry Bar as part of a new digital series called Thriving With Food with the nonprofit Stand Together.
The series highlights local immigrant chefs’ stories, contributions and influences on local food scenes. During this special Raleigh visit, Buena Papa co-owner Johanna Windon (a native of Bogota, Columbia, who immigrated to the U.S. when she was 6 years old) and her husband, James, will chat with Jinich about “how, as Americans, we are all united by our shared connection of people coming from all over the world to contribute to our country—especially through food.”
Jinich will also cook side-by-side with the Buena Papa chefs in a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives-style format (minus the bleach blonde hair…), which will premiere on Thriving With Food mid-April.
But before you tune in to this little fry-day activity, a little background on Buena Papa… The husband-and-wife team founded the casual eatery in 2021 in Raleigh. Buena Papa’s (which translates to “good potato”) menu was inspired by the Columbian food Windon grew up eating—and, fun fact, the entire menu is in Spanish in an attempt to help English-speaking customers learn the language—plus, a lot of the ingredients are specially imported from Colombia.
Once you try Buena Papa’s loaded fries (topped with everything from Colombian refried beans and fried pork belly to meatballs and tomato sauce to grilled chicken and tzatziki), you’ll never be able to go back to regular fries again… and that’s something everyone can agree on.
