Mason Hereford

New Orleans’ Mason Hereford proves that being authentic, creative and delicious is what should ultimately matter in the restaurant business. By bottling these three elements, Mason’s counter-service sandwich-centric spot, Turkey and the Wolf, has defied all traditional odds and been named to many top restaurant lists since its debut in 2016. Like his menus, Mason’s playlist is a spirited mashup of nostalgia, local flavors and edgy vibes. The mix features the likes of Lee Dorsey, Warren G, Neil Young, Big Freedia, and lots of Ween and Grateful Dead.

“I learned to dig music from my old man,” Mason said. “He shaped the listening habits of my whole family. In his incredible collection of music was was a lot of that Texas troubadour stuff--Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, John Prine, etc.--and the Grateful Dead. The hip-hop comes from watching old 90's skate videos growing up, and that's what you will hear playing in the dining room at the restaurant. My childhood buddy, Gray, turned me on to Ween, which has been important to my enjoyment of life. Also, my siblings, Will, Molly and Saint stay listening to good music, and I jack their Spotify playlists all the time.”

“Queen, the Kinks, the Dead--that's the stuff you might hear in the kitchen while we're prepping,” he added. “The New Orleans stuff is because, well, duh. I went pretty Mardi Gras with those choices, ‘cause Mardi Gras just happened, and it's the fucking best.”