Rick Parsons, who put the Ricky P in St. Petersburg's Ricky P's concepts, has started a new chapter within the local restaurant scene. On Monday, Datz Restaurant Group announced that Rick — alongside Ricky P's co-owner Lisa, his wife — will migrate their food-pertise to Roux this fall.
The doors of Ricky P's Creole Kitchen, which the husband-and-wife team opened in 2016 at 11002 Fourth St. N. after their Orleans Bistro concept shuttered in St. Pete's EDGE District, have been closed since at least last month.
The Parsons first brought their soulful Creole and Cajun flavors to Tampa Bay in 2008, via a booth at the weekly Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Pete. As they opened restaurants through the years (who could forget Ricky P's Po Boy Shop?), according to a statement from Rick, he watched Datz and Dough owners Suzanne and Roger Perry build South Tampa's refined Roux.
Turns out, the admiration was mutual. What began as a friendship between the two duos transformed into a cross-bay partnership.
Rick, a New Orleans native, is set to bring his influence as a Cajun chef and po' boy engineer to the existing Roux menu, in collaboration with executive chef Rene Alfaro and chef James Williams. Rick will also develop a refreshed lineup for lunch. Planned dishes include Cajun favorites and locally inspired items like the Cajun Cuban.
"It's got Zatarain's Creole Mustard instead of the standard yellow, and we use slow-roasted pulled pork in place of sliced. We grill it on a flat top so it comes out 'pressed,'" Rick said of the Cajun Cuban. "It’s a fun marriage of a Tampa staple and a NOLA po' boy; a total crowd favorite."
Lisa will act as Roux's catering coordinator, a position that allows her to assist with weddings, Mardi Gras, Gasparilla and other special events.
This article appears in Oct 5-12, 2017.