cheese boats, sunday sauce & floral arranging
and yes, we plan on sleeping in this weekend 😴
This week we’re highlighting shopping pop-ups and markets to stop by this weekend, featuring cookbook tours, sharing floral workshops, and introducing you to our cool new friend: Chas Jones.
A new Georgian restaurant, Laliko, is now open in the West Village! This intimate restaurant embraces Georgian culinary traditions, offering a fresh and elevated approach to the country’s beloved dishes (like our favs Khachapuri and Khinkali). Designed by Surgula Studio, the space reflects Georgia’s rich heritage with custom details like hand-painted Tbilisi tiles, a communal table inspired by the Georgian supra, and nods to the country’s winemaking and cultural history. We’ll be coming by again and again for the doughless Adjaruli, Mother Khinkali and allll the Georgian wines.
A new book you should add to your library ASAP is Zaynab Issa’s Third Culture Cooking – coming out Tuesday, April 1st. With a blend of recipes featuring American classics as well as ones inspired by her East African and South Asian roots, the book is a true reflection of Zaynab’s experiences with food throughout her life as a first generation American. You can preorder the book and check out Zaynab’s book tour which includes multiple dates in the city including events at Greenpoint’s Rhythm Zero, Rizzoli books, and more!
Meet Chas, the wine director of Fort Greene favorites Cafe Paulette & Petit Paulette. A proud New Orleans native, Chas has spent over a decade in the wine industry, building relationships and fostering a community along the way. After a long stint in San Francisco, where he deepened his passion for wine and hospitality, Chas now serves as the Wine Director at Cafe Paulette and its wine bar sibling Petit Paulette. His approach is all about making wine informative, exciting, and most importantly, fun. As a trans man in the industry, he values inclusivity and creating welcoming spaces for all.
How did your career in the world of wine begin?
Being from New Orleans, the spirit of hospitality has always been a part of me, but it was really the years I lived in San Francisco that helped me realize wine could be both a profession and a personal expression. I made some of the most influential friendships of my life while working through the ranks at various restaurants and wine bars in the Bay Area. During that time I was lucky enough to visit the winemakers of Northern California, witness the process first hand, and speak about the passion that goes into getting the grapes from soil to glass. Winemakers are farmers. That profession requires a level of dedication that I’m not capable of, but I have a deep respect for.
Tell us about your role as the Wine Director at Cafe Paulette & Petit Paulette!
At its core my role is to choose wines that are made well with as little intervention as possible. I try to always have at least one domestic wine by the glass, and sometimes lesser known grapes. Our menus change with some frequency and there is no overlap between the wines at Cafe and Petit, so I’m always on the hunt for something interesting. We also host events, with an upcoming Monday night wine tasting series featuring a selection of wines based on a theme or region. My favorite part of the job is sharing new wines and discussing with colleagues. I give them the facts and technical information but we keep it fun and speak from the heart. To me, nothing sells wine faster than an honest opinion and friendly conversation.
What's your favorite part about the New York wine community?
I love the energy of the NYC wine scene. Chatting with importers, reps, and makers about what they’re excited about (or what magnum they cracked open at Wu’s last weekend). There’s such a diversity of wine here that everyone can have their own little niche.
Tell us about the importance of inclusivity to you in the hospitality industry.
Unfortunately, the concept of “inclusivity” has become controversial, but frankly, it’s all I’ve ever known. There is a certain level of vulnerability we all have when walking into a hot new place or a crowded bar. For some, this feeling can be amplified when you hand them a wine list. With this in mind, I just want to meet people where they are and provide a level of ease and comfort. They are not simply customers, and I am not simply a worker; we are both people who left our house this evening to come to Paulette, and we are trying our best. Even if I weren’t a Black transgender man, I would like to think that this would still be my approach. But I know all too well what it is to feel othered or underrepresented, and I strive to make sure that that doesn’t happen on my watch.
Do you have a favorite wine that Paulette is serving right now?
My favorite wines at Café Paulette and Petit Paulette truly change with the seasons. For this brisk early spring weather, I’m reaching for the Domaine des Miquettes ‘Saint Joseph Rouge,’ available at Petit Paulette. A silky Syrah with notes of dark chocolate and mashed blackberry, plus a lift of acidity to keep things feeling as light as the breeze.
Follow along
Upcoming Wine Tasting on March 31
@petitpaulettebk
@cafepaulettebk
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