Friends remember Pableaux Johnson not only for his photographs, food writing, and cooking, but for the people he brought together. The New Orleans photographer’s Monday red beans dinners became a recurring expression of that generosity, and hundreds gathered to honor him after his death at age 59.
Who was Pableaux Johnson?
Paul “Pableaux” Johnson was a New Orleans-based photographer, writer, and cook whose work and relationships were closely connected to the city. He documented second-line parades and Black Masking Indians, and friends and colleagues remembered him as a familiar presence at food and cultural gatherings. The Southern Foodways Alliance recalled that he circulated at its events with a camera, making photographs while building connections with the people around him.
His food writing and cooking were part of that public life. Eater reported that Epicurious included Johnson among its “100 greatest home cooks of all time” in 2017; this is a reported inclusion, not an award or a separately verified ranking. Eater New Orleans also quoted writer and documentary filmmaker Lolis Eric Elie describing Johnson as someone who used the phrase “communal infrastructure” about friendship.
Why friends remember his hospitality
In accounts of Johnson, hospitality was more than a reputation for being a good host: it meant noticing people and making room for them. The Washington Post recounted memorial speakers’ memories of Johnson inviting newcomers to dinner, helping friends through difficult moments, and offering refuge to displaced friends and families after Hurricane Katrina. These are recollections shared by people who knew him, rather than a comprehensive account of his life.
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The Southern Foodways Alliance described the effect he had on those around him: “He made acquaintances feel like friends, and friends feel like family, because he saw every one of us.” That sense of personal attention also comes through in Galen Dixon’s words at the memorial. Johnson’s former college roommate said, “Pableaux just gave Paul permission to put himself out there as the vulnerable, open, loving person that he was born to be,” as reported by the Washington Post.
Monday red beans dinners became a gathering place
Johnson’s standing invitation to eat red beans at his home on Mondays was both a recurring meal and a way to bring people together. The Southern Foodways Alliance remembered the invitation; the Washington Post described the dinners as central to his community-building. They made a familiar dish an occasion to welcome friends and newcomers around the same table.
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At the memorial, the meal carried that tradition forward. Servers used Camellia red kidney beans, the brand Johnson preferred, according to the Washington Post. In her remarks, author and historian Jessica Harris recalled his saying, “‘The table needs feedin’,’” and described the table as the master—or, she added, perhaps the “mistress”—of his life.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.His death and the New Orleans memorial
Johnson died on January 26, 2025, at age 59, after suffering cardiac arrest while photographing the Ladies and Men of Unity second-line parade. The circumstances were reported by the Washington Post and Eater New Orleans.
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- Quantity: 15 cards & envelopes
- 5" x 7" cards on 12 pt. coated card stock & high quality 70# white vellum finish envelopes
- Greeting: Happy Holidays
- A delicious recipe for “Red Beans and Rice” is printed on the back of every card
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On February 22, 2025, hundreds of people gathered at Hotel Peter and Paul in New Orleans to remember him. The event included remembrances and a second-line procession, followed by red beans and rice. My New Orleans reported that more than 500 people attended; the Washington Post also described hundreds at the gathering.
Friends’ words at the memorial captured the connection between Johnson’s warmth and the community around him. His half brother, Tony Blanco, said, “What was most important was that he just loved people,” according to the Washington Post. Friend and cocktail writer Wayne Curtis, speaking before the memorial, described the care Johnson put into maintaining those relationships: “He seemed to approach maintaining a friend network as almost a full-time job.”
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