Jonathan Pittman, 41, grew up in New Orleans, a town known for its gastronomic delights. In his boyhood home, though, menu diversity was not a huge consideration, takeout was rare and eating out was reserved for special occasions.
“My family had about six regular recipes in the rotation and a leftover night each week,” he says. “But we always had homemade food.”
Now, as chef de cuisine at Little Coyote, his culinary repertoire emphasizes made-from-scratch offerings cooked low and slow in the smoker, a hallmark of the menu at the St. Elmo restaurant.
“Smoked meats and fresh tortillas are the star of the show,” he says. “But we also fill out the rest of the menu with a bit of something for everyone.”
Read on to discover his earliest memory of eating out in New Orleans and how Little Coyote fits into the dining scene in Chattanooga.