• Rob traces his interest in cooking back to the kitchen of his Costa Rican grandmother where as a teenager he helped family cooks blend exotic flavors into classic dishes.
• Today McManus uses the same formula in his role as chef where he employs an artistic approach to creative cooking and a workman-like philosophy about what it takes to achieve high standards in a fine dining restaurant.
  "We are always working to create something unique," McManus explained. "We want to serve something that excites our diners, but maintains the classic roots of New Orleans cooking. You've got to be committed to the satisfaction of the people at the table, and we work hard to create food that they will enjoy and remember."
• Born and raised in New Orleans McManus's culinary career path began in Atlanta where he learned the basic's of creating distinctive southern cuisine in fine dining restaurants. He started in the kitchen at the Atlanta Fishmarket and later worked as a line cook under Chef Peter Kaiser at the renowned Buckhead Diner.
• McManus says Kaiser taught him the importance of indigenous ingredients, and in that lesson was a revelation. "That's when I began to truly understand New Orleans cuisine, the food I grew up with. It's the original fusion cuisine, combining classic French cooking with Creole styling, but also with tastes heavily influenced by local ingredients. The result can be something very special, very unique, and we try to create that with every meal we make."
• McManus returned to New Orleans in 1998 and began developing the expertise necessary to lead a New Orleans restaurant. He briefly worked in the kitchen at the House of Blues before he was recruited to the staff at Dickie Brennan's and Sous Chef Jose Santa Maria with "taking me under the wing, showing me how to gain experience an earn respect."
  "New Orleans is a tough competitive restaurant city. Our food has to be the best, from meat-and-potatoes items to New Orleans genre dishes.
• For McManus however, the true key to success is an ever-evolving menu that maintains classic New Orleans roots.
  "It's appropriate that people refer the culinary process as 'art,' because art is something that can never be mastered. Cooking is something that is always evolving, and our menu will always reflect that philosophy."

  STAN’S PLACE REVIEW

  Robert McManus was doing long-distance consulting work for Stan Williams—the owner of the Cajun-themed Stan’s Place (411 Atlantic Ave between Bond and Nevins Sts, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, 718-596-3110) in Brooklyn—when Hurricane Katrina blew away McManus’s catering company, Partysist, in New Orleans. Two days later, he was on a bus headed for Boerum Hill. Three days later, he was head chef at Stan’s Place, reworking the dinner menu and adding Big Easy favorites like a robust gumbo, Creole lump crab cakes and bananas Foster. His rent is now twice what he paid back home and his salary only slightly higher, but McManus isn’t going back. “Diners in this area can find almost any cuisine, but there are no Cajun places around,” he says. “I’m introducing people to andouille and all the hot Cajun Creole spices like cayenne and chili peppers. I’m making food memories for people.”~ Article from Timeout.com

Studied at the CIFAM de Nantes, Paris France.

ARTICLES:

• Jean Marc Hardy began his culinary journey at charcrutier, and chef school in Paris France.
  After a two year apprenticeship at the department of charcrutier he won the regional competition,
  two times, the departmental competition, qualified for the semi finals, and was awarded the
  bronze metal at the National Persian Culinary Competition in 1989.
  Throughout the next decade he explored the cuisines of Germany under the accomplished
  chef Wizicman, Mexico, and Canada. In 2000 he entered the New York cuisine as the private chef to
  George Sorros.

Girls, Girls, Girls

• It's a woman's world at the new Jolie Restaurant on Atlantic Avenue. The name of the cafe, which opened Oct. 27, means "pretty" in French, and pretty it is.
• The cafe's neighbor, Axelle Galleries, has supplied an exhibition of Les femmes jolies, who frolic on paintings, prints and photos on the warm ocher walls. Below the babes are Valentine-colored suede banquettes softly lit with modern chandeliers.
• The girls may lure customers in, but it is chef Michel Pombet's French menu that will seduce them. Pombet, formerly of the celebrated DeMarchelier in Manhattan, offers winter warmers like a creamy oxtail terrine with cornichons and onion compote; sweet breads champagne (center) with sauteed spinach and potatoes; and whole grilled dorade (a mild, fresh water fish) with sauteed endive and fennel.
• In keeping with the lusty and lush theme, Pombet flambes crepes Suzette with brandy; layers tart and sweet autumn apples atop a buttery crust for his rustic house-made tarte Tatin; and fills profiteroles (puffs of tender pastry) with cream before drizzling the dessert with bittersweet chocolate. You'll want to sit in a dark corner while you eat it.
• Jolie Restaurant (320 Atlantic Ave. between Hoyt and Smith streets in Boerum Hill) accepts American Express. Entrees: $12-$20. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily. For reservations, call (718) 488-0777. ~Tina Barry. GO Brooklyn, November 27, 2004 Issue . | . View the rest of the issue

• Soupe a l' oignon gratinee a l' emmental
  Traditional French onion soup topped with Gruyere
• Salade de roquette au grana padano
  Arugula salad with shaved grana padano cheese tossed with balsamic vinaigrette
• Gambas flambee au Wiskey sur un risotto au pesto
  Single malt whiskey flambéed prawns on a bed of pesto risotto
• Galette de crab et sa mousse d' avocat
  Two lump meat crab cakes with avocado mousse
• Duo de tartare de thon et saumon aux epices
  With ginger, chives, lime juice and eggplant caviar
• Escargots de Bourgogne au buerre persille
  A French classic escargots in garlic and parsley butter
• Queue de boeuf, sauce refort
  Oxtail terrine with horseradish sauce
• Steak tartare au Cognac
  Black Angus tartar mixed with capers, cornichons, onion, parsley, cognac and Dijon mustard with mesclun salad toasted baguette

What does Peace Taste Like?

• Platter of white Tuna Sashimi from Thailand on Daikon radish with wasabi
• Salmon filet wrapped in rice paper leaf with vegetable julienne, fried plantains and ginger sauce
• Filet de Dorade sur cylinder de polenta, layers of spinach served with coriander seed sauce

Main Course

• Filet de tilapia, saveur de l' Orient
  With ginger, scallion, and soy sauce, served with sautéed spinach and house made mashed potatoes
• Millefeuille de loup de mer, crème poivron rouge
  Layers of leek, spinach and bass fillet with red pepper coulis
• Bourse de saumon en galette de riz
  Savory fillet of salmon wrapped in rice paper leaf served with ginger white wine sauce
• Ravioles de Royans
  French country style cheese ravioli with cream or tomato sauce
• Poussin farcie aux champignons de Paris
  Roasted Cornish hen stuffed with mushrooms with fig sauce
• Magret de canard sur puree de celery et haricot vert
  Seared duk margret with celery root puree and haricot vert
• L' entrecote d' Angus Noir et ses trios sauces
  Black Angus Ribeye steak with French fries and a trio of sauces
• Filet Mignon de porc a la crème de morilles
  Pork Tenderloin on a bed of fettuccine and creamy morels sauce
• Carre d' agneau root aux herbes et son jus
  Rack of Lamb with ratatouille and potato gratin