One Meal. Many, Many tables.

Red Beans Road Show:
Welcome to the Revival

The Red Beans Roadshow is a restaurant pop-up series that takes a New Orleans' trademark Monday-night tradition on the road. The roadshow pairs writer/photographer/ne'er-do-well Pableaux Johnson with a local host chef for a night of good, simple food, camaraderie and appropriate misbehavior.Modeled on Pableaux's New Orleans home-based tradition, each event features a hearty Louisiana supper (red beans and rice, skillet cornbread) combined with the whims of our host chef (starter and dessert courses). Less a dinner party than an informal family supper, diners are encouraged to belly up to the table and break cornbread with friends and strangers alike.

SEMI-SECRET REVIVAL SHOW

Athens GA :: Oct 28

So it's time to start the imminent Roadshow Revival, so we decided to team up with some of our favorite folks for a bit of a test-run, if you will.So on MONDAY, OCTOBER 28 the RBRS is headed to lovely ATHENS GA for a one-night stint with our pals Krista and Jerry Slater a their neighborhood joint THE EXPAT.We couldn't think of a better place (or opportunity) to get back in teh groove than with these folks.Athenians, hope to see y'all there...

The Red Beans Roadshow is a restaurant pop-up series that takes a New Orleans' trademark Monday-night tradition on the road. The roadshow pairs writer/photographer/ne'er-do-well Pableaux Johnson with a local host chef for a night of good, simple food, camaraderie and appropriate misbehavior.Modeled on Pableaux's New Orleans home-based tradition, each event features a hearty Louisiana supper (red beans and rice, skillet cornbread) combined with the whims of our host chef (starter and dessert courses). Less a dinner party than an informal family supper, diners are encouraged to belly up to the table and break cornbread with friends and strangers alike.

COMING YOUR WAY

Eyes on the road.

The 2024 Revival Edition of the Roadshow is currently taking shape, but here's a list of cities under consideration. (We'll keep you posted soon as we know specifics.)RUNNING LIST
• Athens GA (October 28)
• Brooklyn NY
• Nashville
• Chapel Hill NC
• Seattle WA
• Toronto

POPUP ANATOMY

How It Works

It's pretty simple, actually. Over the years, we've adapted Pableaux's Monday-night red beans and rice tradition to the rigors of the road. It's a chance to take Louisiana hospitality to far-flung cities, to commune with like-minded chefs and see (and make) friends along the way.

  • In its current incarnation, the Red Beans Roadshow is an ongoing series of medium-format pop-up suppers held in restaurants around the US.

  • Pableaux teams up with a local partner chef for an informal family-style feast.

  • He cooks red beans and skillet cornbread. The host chef serves up a simple starter (deviled eggs, hand pies, etc.) and a dessert (bread puddin', pies pies pies).

  • The Roadshow is informal and as unfussy as we can possibly make it. We gravitate toward 8-person tables (to encourage crosstalk) and a "put your phone away" policy (to encourage conversational mystery and creative storytelling).

  • As ringleader and organizer, Pableaux does short explanatory dog-and-pony shows on Louisiana foodways.

  • Roadshows are ticketed events (beer/wine inclusive) and seat between 50-80 folks a show. Tickets are purchased on this site.

HOST CHEFS and BARKEEPS

Partners & Pals

Behold partial gallery of the fine folks who open up their restaurants and bars and play host to the Roadshow.Some from the past, some willing to do it all again, but we're always grateful to have folks who love New Orleans and are willing to play host to Pableaux and all (well MOST) shenanigans involved....

AWW, SHUCKS...

Press

Some of the nice stuff that folks have said about us over the years.

And Now a word...

Tour/Event Sponsorship

Over the years, the RBRS has partnered with a diverse group of sponsors looking to spread New Orleans culiinary culture and good times to the Outside World.We thank them for their support.For the 2024/5 Revival season, we're offering a range of variations for ongoing sponsorship opportunities:

  • TOUR/PRESENTING SPONSORSHIPS: Underwriting of existing RBRS tour dates, with brand presence and promotion for each sponsored leg of the tour (approximately 4-6 stops on average).

  • SINGLE-EVENT PACKAGES: More targeted event for companies seeking specific regional coverage for brand awareness.

  • BRAND ACTIVATIONS/CUSTOM ONSITES: Versatile single- or multiple-night roadshows tailored to the sponsor's needs (conference gatherings, on-site dinners and the like).

GRAMMAW, but with a Beard

The Red Beans Guy

Pableaux Johnson is a New Orleans-based photographer, journalist and author of three books on Louisiana food culture. He has pronounced weaknesses for fine bourbon whiskey, funky sousaphones, raw oysters, coconut cream pie, and talking dog jokes.Working with a range of chef/partners, Pableaux's home-table red beans tradition morphed into an early pop-up series in 2016 in restaurants across the US.Though the COVID lockdown put the kibosh on the series (and deeply affected the restaurant business in general) he's currently plotting a retirn to the road in fall of 2024.