Flavors Unknown

Nina Compton: From Caribbean Flavors to NOLA

Chef Nina Compton

Today I’m talking to Chef Nina Compton, a James Beard award-winning chef based in New Orleans,Louisiana. She’s the owner and creative mind behind Compère Lapin and Bywater American Bistro. You’ll hear about her experience on Season 11 of Top Chef, – Saint Lucian roots

What you'll learn from Nina Compton

Chef Nina Conpton's unique and flavorful upbringing in St. Lucia 2:35
The sweet scents of a childhood in the Caribbean 3:44
The influence of her grandmother in her cooking 5:54
Cakes of the Caribbean 7:26
Nina Compton's journey to becoming a chef 8:35
Why she went to culinary school 9:26
A detour in her plans to get back to the Caribbean 11:50
How Nona Compton brings together the flavors of New York, Miami, and the Caribbean 14:36
The surprise hit dish that she can’t take off of the menu 15:27
Staples that have remained on the menu 16:57
The reopening of her neighborhood restaurant 17:56
How the menus at her two restaurants differ 21:25
Practicing the power of restraint 22:28
Her strong involvement in the bar program and New Orleans expectations 24:03
The less-familiar sources of her Italian wines 25:42
How seasonality is reflected in her food 26:51
Her experience on Top Chef 28:40
The lengthy process of making the cut 31:13
A day in the life of a Top Chef contestant 32:26
Why she doesn’t want to return to Top Chef as a contestant 35:34
The evolution of the New Orleans culinary scene 36:59
The sharing nature of local chefs 38:57
Origin of the nameCompère Lapin 41:47
Her culinary tour of New Orleans 44:03
Her simple guilty pleasures 46:04
Recent cookbooks to explore 46:57
Kitchen pet peeves 48:23
The worst trend she’s seeing in the industry 51:42
Her advice for working your way up in the business 52:24
The chef she would like to collaborate with 53:54
Her alternative career if she wasn’t a chef 54:37

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Links to other episodes with the chefs

Don't miss out on the chance to hear from these talented chefs and gain insight into the world of culinary techniques. Check out the links below for more conversations with chefs from New Orleans.

Conversaion with chef Nathanial Zimet

Conversation with chef Michael Gulotta

Listen to my conversation with chef Alex Harrell

Listen to my conversation with Chef Rebecca Wilcomb