What it means to be from New Orleans.

    Tonight, a meal was shared with some of the best people that I know, present and past.  Being from the best city in the United States comes with both ups and downs.  People do not understand the mentality that is shared by people from New Orleans. 

    Living below sea level has supressed the sense of urgency and replaced it with a sense of enlightenment.  The barometric pressure and hurricane consitency has allowed a culture of young Americans which enjoy the holiday season as it shoul be, a time to celebrate and continue life-long friendships shared over a meal with libations progressing conversation and toasts into Christmas carrols. 

  Here are some pictures that shall never be forgotten as a New Orleanian.  Cleaning up a mess is only natural for a culture that measures success in tonage of garbage, Mardi Gras.  Enjoy and come eat at PRAVDA! for new New Orleans cuisine.

PRAVDA! is located at 1113 Decatur Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70116!

See you soon, yeah?

Artisitc Vision

   What is artistic vision? To be honest I have only an idea, and that idea is personal and unique to me, as any artist has a unique perspective.  Pushing through at PRAVDA!, I have met a lot of interesting people.  People that would not normally cross into my world.  With this intersection of people, it has defined my artistic vision of food.
    Everyone has to eat, but only some enjoy it.  Looking at the term enjoyment, it is once again an opinion.  Food is a medium for art that is more personal than any other, when was the last time you ate a painting? or a picture?  And if you did, it probably did not taste good.  Presenting food to the public is an amazing thing.  It does not hang on a wall and wait for people to be interested.  It is a narrative art.  People order what they want from a description of the art.  It is then up to the Chef-Ninja to either, exceed or fail, mediocrity is not an option.  The narrative's plot line is completely up to the narrator.  The point of the story is, come eat food at PRAVDA!, choose a story, sit back and let me show your palate the plot line.
    The story below is of a culinary adventure on Nantucket with a past friend.  Biking to the local fish market, then to Bartlet farms, it was a glorious island day.  Behind the plate of food, is the technique.  The entire meal was cooked on a tiny grill.  What you see is butter tarragon poached lobster, smoked grilled halibut, BLTS melange, lemon avocado sauce with a drizzle of Italian Olive Oil.  Complex simplicity is the theme.

   If this makes no sense, then come chat me up at 1113 Decatur and we chat over a meal, after I cook it.

Impetus To Food!

  It is a great feeling to like what you do.  It is an amazing feeling to do what you love.  Cooking and creating in the kitchen at PRAVDA! has been an amazing experience.  The menu from the previous post lasted us through two nights and produced some very good feedback of what will work and what will not.  At the end of the day, it is about THE PEOPLE!  So come eat, tell us what you think, then come back again.
  The group of young culinarians above was my introduction into the kitchen after an eight year hiatus into the front of the house.  It was Skills One at The Culinary Institue of America, the lessons learned, and friends made will last over many geographic miles and years to come.  Cheers to those of you I have met, and look forward to meeting the rest.  Stop by for some food and chat:

PRAVDA!
1113 Decatur Street
New Orleans, Louisiana
http://www.pravdaofnola.com/

Shrimp & Strawberries

    New Orleans is an amazing resource for everything that is culture.  Yesterday I had the fortune to attend one of the many Farmer's Markets in the area, located at the corner of River Road and Broadway.  The products available down here year round are surprising.  We have no seasonal changes it seems.  It is the day before Thanksgiving and it is 80F outside.  Anywho, it is fitting that the cold northern winds do not reach our unchanged soil of paradise, but only hear the commentary of the people who the cold has affected.  If you ain't never been to the ghetto, you wouldn't understand the ghetto, so come visit and understand my chic ghetto.  Word.

PRAVDA! FOOD NINJA, Matthew Elliott Kopfler

Pravda is a bar located at 1113 Decatur Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.  For those not familiar with the area, or who don't have Google Maps, it is located two blocks from Esplanade nestled between Coop's Place and Maximo's Italian Grill. 

    Pravda means truth in Russia, and could not think of a better title to describe my food.  Food is the simple expression or interpretation of natural resources, it is a truthful profession.  My interpretations and expressions of food can be sampled Thursday through Sunday from 5.00pm until 10.00pm, but do not fret if The People (you) want food and I am there, it will be cooked. 

   Pravda menu will rotate around a base of five items, yet to be discovered.  Menu items can be paired with some of the esoteric beverage offerings from the bar, such as the largest selection of Absinthe in Louisiana,  fifty different types of Vodka, and a well-thought out wine list.  Stop by more than once, as each new visit can bring a new palatial experience.

Pravda is now my culinary home.  Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder, come get fond of Pravda.

CHEERS!