It might seem risky to open a New Orleans-themed restaurant in Boston, but chef Jason Santos did just that in 2017 with his Buttermilk & Bourbon, and it's been wildly successful.
Santos is known for his tousled blue hair and for being the runner-up on Season 7 of "Hell's Kitchen," where he forged a friendship with Gordon Ramsay. The 43-year-old Boston native fell in love with New Orleans on a birthday getaway years ago and has since made many return visits. That led to his passion project, Buttermilk & Bourbon, which serves up Southern-style comfort food in Boston's Back Bay.
His new cookbook, "Buttermilk & Bourbon: New Orleans Recipes With a Modern Flair," is a collection of signature recipes from the restaurant, including honey-glazed biscuits, Southern-style potato salad and crawfish and crab soup.
Santos' ranch dressing with fresh herbs is simple to make. "Ranch dressing is good," says the chef, "but house-made buttermilk ranch is epic."
He suggests using the dressing as a dip for veggies, as a salad dressing or drizzled over fried chicken.
