 A selection of classic New Orleans dishes tempt the eyes, and the palate at Arnaud's. Photo by Denny Culbert. There is nothing truer in Louisiana than the idea of connecting over food, and restaurants are the places where we find those connections, old and new. The LRA is excited to kick-off summer and bring back Restaurant Week New Orleans for the 12th year, continuing the celebration of the hospitality industry. The hard work, passion and dedication shown by chefs, and every service industry role in-between, especially through this pandemic, is why people from across the globe come to New Orleans for Southern hospitality and world-class cuisine. The LRA’s mission is to preserve our restaurants, to give world-renowned chefs a sanctuary where they can create, and share their passion for food with the community. New Orleans is home the best Chefs in the industry, and their businesses are the backbone of the local economy. They play a large role in the preservation of New Orleans and their menus pay homage to where it all began—the Mississippi River. Meet three Chefs whose passion for New Orleans lie center of plate. Chef Frank Brigtsen Chef Frank Brigtsen. Photo credit Biz New Orleans. Chef Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen’s Restaurant has been a member of the LRA for over 30 years, and was the inducted by the board into the LRA Hall of Fame in 2012. His strong commitment to the New Orleans restaurant industry and food culture comes from his mentor Chef Paul Prudhomme. Chef Paul Prudhomme, the Opelousas native became the first American chef at Commander’s Palace in 1975, after Ella Brennan hired him to take over the restaurant she and her siblings had just purchased. In 1983, the LRA named Chef Prudhomme Restaurateur of the Year. It was at Commander’s Palace that Chef Prudhomme hired Chef Brigtsen and gave him his first real restaurant job. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Chef Brigtsen said. “To be a Chef in America’s greatest food city, and contribute to its evolving culture, has been a distinct privilege. I am deeply grateful.” This year, Chef Brigtsen’s Restaurant Week menu goes vegetarian. The 4-course menu has similar flavor profiles of Louisiana’s Creole and Cajun dishes, but takes a different approach by giving diners vegetarian and gluten free options. You’ll find a classic stuffed mirliton, but instead, stuffed with hearty roasted cauliflower and eggplant. Chef John Folse Chef John Folse. Photo credit Chef John Folse & Company. You may know him for his cooking show “Taste of Louisiana” that aired on PBS in the 90s, or you know him for his hit restaurant Laffite’s Landing in Donaldsonville. Chef John Folse is internationally known as the keeper of authentic Louisiana Creole & Cajun cuisines and cultures. Chefs in today’s top restaurants most likely studied culinary arts at Chef John Folse’s Culinary Institute in Thibodaux, at Nicholls State University. The St. James Parish native has a love for Louisiana rooted like a Cypress tree. He has been awarded numerous accolades from publications across the globe. In the late eighties, Chef Folse was responsible for introducing Louisiana’s indigenous cuisine to Japan, Beijing, Hong Kong and Paris. His high-end eatery Restaurant R’evolution quickly became the premier fine dinging establishment in New Orleans since opening in 2012. Collaborating with Chef Rick Tramanto, the pair the chefs have created a place where Creole & Cajun cuisines collide to tell the story of the all nations which influenced our city’s culinary history.  Chef de Cuisine at Restaurant R'evolution Chef Samuel Peery. Photo credit Restaurant R'evolution. Chef de Cuisine at Restaurant R’evolution, inside the Royal Sonesta Hotel, is Chef Samuel Peery. His Restaurant Week menu offers a broad selection of what makes Restaurant R'evolution unique, giving diners plenty of options to be immersed in modern, imaginative reinterpretations of classic Cajun & Creole cuisines. “We’ve included some of the refined interpretations of Louisiana classics that we’re known for, such as our Louisiana Turtle Soup and our Wild Boar Tagliatelle and also added some new items we’re really excited about, like our Gulf Shrimp Gazpacho appetizer and our Gulf Fish entrée with Louisiana corn, chicory greens, shishito pepper and Choupique butter.” The short rib boudin, which is not typically served at Restaurant R'evolution, is a unique appetizer created out of pure spark. Chef Peery and his team reimagined the traditional Cajun sausage stuffed with a mixture of pork and rice when they had a family dine-in who did not eat pork. It is a great starter to any of the entrees being offered for Restaurant Week. “This inspired us to create a pork-free boudin using beef short rib, chicken, rice and a wonderful blend of spices that honor classic Louisiana boudin flavors while adding a special Restaurant R’evolution flair,” said Chef Peery. “It’s definitely a new favorite dish and one that I encourage everyone to try.” Find your “cure for the summer heat,” as Chef Peery puts it, with their Gulf Shrimp Gazpacho. “The Sun Gold tomatoes give the Gazpacho a wonderful rich hue and it’s finished with a sherry vinegar that we’ve been barrel aging in the restaurant for two years.” Finish your dinner with the choice of a Southern Peach Semifreddo or Ice Cream Stuffed Éclair. Chef Peery loves both options, but encourages diners to try the new Southern Peach Semifreddo dessert. “I equate this to a traditional drunken rum cake but with the added flavors of peach, sweet tea and raspberry,” said Chef Peery. “It’s the perfect summer indulgence.” Chef Brian Landry Chef Brian Landry. Photo credit New Orleans & Company. Chef Brian Landry of Jack Rose Restaurant, inside the historic Pontchartrain Hotel, is excited for the week of celebration when restaurants are showcasing everything that is uniquely special to their restaurant. The New Orleans native grew up fishing with his family, and has a passion for seafood and Creole cuisine as deep as the Mississippi River. “It is such a part of our culture,” said Chef Landry. “Creole cuisine is a phenomenal regional cuisine that pulls from the best of cultures. We have over 1,400 restaurants in our city, who all contribute to that cuisine, so it is ever evolving. We’re always celebrating in New Orleans, always wondering where that next meal is going to be and it's just part of the fabric of the city.” Jack Rose’s 3-course Restaurant Week dinner starts with roasted tomatoes and pistou, and finishes with a summer pavlova packed with fresh berries, both to compliment a petit fillet entrée topped with fresh Louisiana crabmeat. For six years, that passion served the New Orleans community at the historic Galatoire's Restaurant where he was Executive Chef from 2005-2011. He opened Borgne in 2012, and after making a name for himself there, he started a relationship with QED Hospitality, which houses Jack Rose. “There is nowhere else but New Orleans to experience the fusion of Cajun and Creole cuisine,” Chef Landry says, “and Restaurant Week is the time to experience it all.”
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 The Bower in the Lower Garden District has been offering casual cheese plates, elegant three-course dinners and everything in between since March of 2020. Executive Chef Marcus Woodham helms the kitchen of the Latter Hospitality eatery, and makes fresh produce the star of his dishes, sourced from the local Sugar Roots Farm. Chef Woodham, a native of Bayou Goula, just south of Baton Rouge, has worked in some of the most notable New Orleans kitchens--Luke, Restaurant Patois and Tivoli & Lee. He began his career with Latter Hospitality in 2016 when he took the position of Executive Chef at Tujague's Restaurant. As the hospitality group grew, so did his role within their restaurants. He assumed the same position with The Bower upon their opening. His Restaurant Week menu gives diners opportunities to indulge in summer inspired dishes, like baby back ribs drenched in watermelon barbeque sauce, and a choice between a peach handpie or gelato of the day for desert.  Restaurant 1796 gives diners a taste of Old Louisiana from their open hearth. The wall of wood is cycled through every 15 days. The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville is commonly known as the ‘most haunted house in America,’ but it’s beginning to be known for a completely different reason. Thoughtfully created seasonal dishes are served from the 10-foot wide wood fired hearth at Restaurant 1796. Named for the year The Myrtles was built, the farm-to-table restaurant is what rose from the ashes when the original restaurant on the property set fire in 2017. Property owner Morgan Moss took over leadership from his parents after the fire. His parents bought The Myrtles Plantation in 1992. When he was 12 years old, he began a career racing motocross and by the time he was 16, he had turned bonafied professional, racing for Grand National Cross Country. It was originally a fire in the gift shop in 2013, however, that had him race home with helping hands. “When I came home to help with the reconstruction of the gift shop, that kind of opened itself to an opportunity to manage the property,” Moss said.  Chef Daniel Dreher stands behind the bar, firing up seasonal dishes for all to see. Fire struck again in 2017, and the family was left wondering what was next for the food & beverage component of their paranormal attraction. Moss knew he wanted to change the direction of The Myrtles Plantation’s branding, and offer something unique to visitors, but also to the locals of West Feliciana Parish. “After we were able to recover from that, we shifted our focus to building a bigger, better restaurant that would be hitting in another weight class,” Moss said. The result was Restaurant 1796. The concept is centered around the original way of home cooking used in the 18th century. While traveling across the country for his motocross career, Moss was exposed to lot of different restaurants and cuisines. “It was always something I was fascinated by, just food and people’s different approaches to preparing it,” said Moss. “We were trying to come up with a concept that was fun and modern, not another cookie cutter restaurant. We found ourselves really fascinated by woodfire cooking, and felt like it was a really modern and unique approach, but it also has a huge tie to the history of the property.” In the year of 1796, cooking meals was solely done over the hearth of one’s fireplace, and restaurants were an up-and-coming concept. Though there are many ghost stories surrounding the original owners of the property, there is no doubt meals there were prepared over an open flame. Moss works together with Executive Chef Daniel Dreher to put forth a memorable dining experience. He gives the culinary talent his full support, and control over the menu. Chef Dreher, a graduate of Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, has a team of chefs he trains to respect the flame. The fire is what cooks these stand-out dishes, but it can be tough to work with. This challenge is what drew him to work at Restaurant 1796. “It was something totally different from what I have done in the past. I have worked in numerous kitchens over the years from country clubs, hotels to fine dining,” said Dreher. “So, to have the experience of venturing out with a new technique of cooking was very appealing to me.”  Chef Dreher stands in the on-site garden with his dish of fried green tomatoes, topped with lump crab. The technique has been growing for some time across the country. Returning to the old way of cooking has become a new modern approach for chefs. Restaurants like The Dabney in Washington D.C., Ox in Portland and King + Duke in Atlanta all use the open flame. Chef Dreher is picking up on the trend, while still cooking with strong ties to Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole history. The seasonal menu changes every three months, with its biggest changes in the Spring and Fall. Chef Dreher’s inspiration comes from his mentorship with Chef Bryan Carr, and work done under previous Restaurant 1796 chef, Chef Brian Lewis. As St. Francisville natives, both Moss and Chef Dreher love working in their hometown, giving locals something to be excited about. They themselves get excited about receiving local support they have always craved. “We get a lot more local engagement on the property now than we ever have, and that’s rewarding to see,” Moss said. Moss wants to keep the ghosts around (not like they’re going anywhere), because that is a large part of the bread & breakfast’s DNA. Instead, the plan is to move toward creating a boutique hotel experience, giving people a different reason to visit The Myrtles Plantation. “What we’re really on a mission to do is diversify why people are coming onto the property,” Moss said. “It’s more than people expect for little old St. Francisville. They are genuinely impressed by the space, its appearance, concept and what we do here.” All photos used in this story courtesy of Restaurant 1796.  The Dovetail bar sits on the floor of the Schaeffer Hotel on N. Rampart Street. Photo courtesy of Dovetail Bar. The rich architectural history of New Orleans stands in plain sight on our streets and sidewalks, but sometimes, it’s a bit hidden. The Dovetail Bar is a perfect example. Dovetail joints, a woodworking skill, are scattered around the 99-year-old former furniture showroom built in the early 1920s. Now, the building has a new life as a hotel and bar paying its respects to the original craftsman. Built in 1923 by Joseph Paul Schaeffer, the J.P. Schaeffer Furniture Company held the space until the 1940s, and then over the decades, the building was various other furniture stores, like Joy's Furniture in the 1960s. During the 1990s, it eventually fell vacant. Architects Walter Antin and Ariana Rinderknecht saw the beauty in the vacant property that was almost destroyed through years of abandonment, sitting behind the Saenger Theatre. The site also sustained damage from the collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel site which sat across the street. The husband and wife architect team are creators and owners of The Dovetail Bar, a new cocktail lounge and coffee bar tucked inside The Schaeffer Hotel (which they also own) on N. Rampart Street at Iberville. The name of the bar was inspired by the architecture technique of dovetail joinery, a wooden joint used in furniture building without nails or screws.  The former J.P. Schaeffer Furniture Company became Joy's Furniture in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of Dovetail Bar. The couple also owns and operates WAAR Design, a design firm dedicated to preserving the historical value of New Orleans architecture. They have worked on projects for Tulane School of Social Work, Sucre, The Black Duck Bar (inside of the Palace Café), and the St. James Cheese Company. “As an architect I believe in maintaining the spirit of the building,” said Rinderknecht. “I always design with a very conceptual approach.” Rinderknecht says since they live close by, she and her husband had become enamored with the once vacant building, and thought one day they would transform it to its former glory, but with a new use. The couple always envisioned having a food & beverage component to their boutique hotel, and, as admirers of J.P. Schaeffer, knew they wanted the concept to be architecturally inspired.  Inside the bar, you'll find furniture made from reclaimed wood, and wooden beams repurposed from the original structure that was built in 1923. Photo courtesy of Dovetail Bar. Dovetail offers a relaxed space for hotel guests to start their day with a coffee, or call it a night with a crafted cocktail. The specialty cocktail menu is as handcrafted as the building is. Rinderknecht and her husband worked with a bar team to create drinks closely tied to joinery techniques, like the rabbet spritz, dado collins, pocket joint, tongue & groove and mortise & tenon. Locals in the area enjoy having a place where they can casually meet with friends, but still be part of a curated atmosphere. Rinderknecht was heavily involved in the design process, which involved hand selecting timber to repurpose left from the original structure. “It’s quite different, and very casual,” Rinderknecht said. “We chose color, and repurposed wood from the original building. It was such incredible quality.” Upon first glance, the name of the bar brings to mind a dove. Many people who aren’t familiar with carpentry techniques hear the name ‘dovetail’ and truly think of the tail on a dove. Coincidentally, the joinery term is named after the resemblance to a dove’s tail. This woodworking method even inspired the bar’s logo. Look long enough and you’ll see the merging of two dovetail joints, something Rinderknecht intentionally created, saying, “once you know the history, it pops out at you.”  The Dovetail logo is etched in a ice cube for one of their crafted cocktails. Photo courtesy of Dovetail Bar. The two-day LRA marketplace is a hub of creativity and possibilities Attendees explore the floor inside the New Orleans Morial Convention Center for the 65th Annual LRA Showcase, 2018. Exhibitors at the LRA Showcase have the opportunity to increase brand awareness, get in front of their target market, speak directly with decision makers and allow customers to touch, taste, feel and experience their products and services. This two-day marketplace sets the standard as the top regional restaurant show in the country, making it special for exhibitors that attend every year. It provides a one-stop shopping resource for thousands of foodservice professionals looking for new suppliers. One annual exhibitor is the Certified Louisiana Program from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Commissioner Mike Strain is head of this unique program designed to promote Louisiana made, grown, manufactured or processed products that are aimed at enhancing and promoting Louisiana’s agricultural industry. “The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is excited to bring many of our Certified Louisiana companies to the LRA Showcase again this year,” Strain said. “This is a fantastic opportunity to help connect our unique and local Certified Louisiana products with many restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, and more.”  LA Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain stands with Melissa Anderson, creator of T-Beaux's Creole Gumbo pre-seasoned roux at the LRA Showcase 2021. Photo courtesy of Melissa Anderson. Strain says “you’re getting the very best” when you buy a Certified Louisiana product. Members of the program range from sauces, craft beers and wines, generational seafood farmers, meats and seasoning blends. One Certified Louisiana product found just the right partnership at the showcase last year. Melissa ‘T-Beaux’ Anderson, CEO and founder of T-Beaux’s Seasoned Gumbo Roux & Gravy Base, was an exhibitor at the showcase last year as part of a group of Certified Louisiana food entrepreneurs. She found her perfect match with Acadian Kitchens®, making her pre-seasoned gumbo roux the first of its kind. Now, her product is being sold in Rouses grocery stores from Louisiana to Alabama, with future plans of being sold nationwide. When Anderson got the call to be a part of the LRA Showcase, she quickly formulated a plan to brand her product. “I jumped on the opportunity and prepared in less than two weeks,” Anderson said. “My main goal was to find a co-brand partnership through another Louisiana company that could help supply the demand that I was currently seeing with my product.” Anderson enjoyed using her booth space to place her Creole heritage in the spotlight. She knew there were no guarantees, but she was also grateful knowing the LRA was giving her a huge opportunity to market her brand. “The atmosphere, the food, and just the whole convention and purpose was truly a life-changing experience,” Anderson said. “All the tools were given to me right there to network and market. Anderson’s positive attitude lent her a hand in building the valuable connections with her new co-branded partnership. When she crossed paths with Acadian Kitchens®, she knew she found something good.  Anderson stands post at her booth for the LRA Showcase 2021. Photo courtesy of Melissa Anderson. “A partnership with Acadian Kitchens stood out more than the others because our vision and ideas ran parallel to each other,” said Anderson. Acadian Kitchens® is a food product supplier, fusing authentic and diverse tastes of Louisiana's Creole and Cajun cultures to bring traditional, bold, hand-crafted flavors to Louisiana and beyond. Ryan Schemmel, the Chief Commercial Officer for Acadian Kitchens®, says this is their first ever co-branded partnership and they’re very excited about Anderson’s ideas. When they crossed paths at the showcase, Schemmel knew from their conversation she had a great product and Acadian Kitchens could help produce and distribute her recipe. “She presents well, she is very personable and authentic, and brands well,” Schemmel said. “All of that brings a whole new level to the product.” Their brands include Acadian Kitchens®, Ragin' Cajun® & Cajun's Choice®. Anderson’s product is housed under the Ragin' Cajun® brand.
“We think she can represent the company well,” said Schemmel. “She’s gone all in with us and we’ve gone all in with her.” Anderson, a Lafayette native, has worked in the health care industry as surgical nurse, turned audit quality nurse. The former Mrs. Louisiana USA Ambassador 2017 got the idea to create her own pre-seasoned roux after a trip to Florida with her pageant sisters. Not being from Louisiana, the girls wanted to eat gumbo Anderson says, so she searched Orlando for the proper ingredients but came up empty handed. She then moved to ordering some pre-made roux online, but when the package was delivered, both jars were broken. This began her process of finding just the right seasoning blend to create her pre-seasoned roux. “Being the first woman-owned seasoned gumbo roux company, I am making history,” said Anderson. “Creole and Cajun culture is all around the world, not just Louisiana.” Before being in the showcase, Anderson’s easy-to-prepare gumbo roux was already being sold online on her website, and in local independent grocery stores in Lafayette. It then expanded into the Rouses grocery stores in the Southern region, including Lafayette, New Iberia, Youngsville, Lake Charles and Sulphur. The showcase was her big break into the industry, an industry she wanted to be a part of to help provide a future for her family. “My inspiration of making the gumbo was always to make cooking easy for other people to enjoy gumbo around the world,” said Anderson. “We are in a new age where we all try to juggle work and home life and still keeping in mind the family dinner concept. I wanted to create something that anyone can go home and prepare on an average weeknight.” For more information about being an exhibitor or attendee at the LRA Showcase 2022, visit our Showcase page. Booth space is selling quick, contact showcase@lra.org to learn more. Registration for attendees opens soon, stay tuned to our social media channels for more information. You won't want to miss it! Brigtsen’s Restaurant has called Dante Street home since 1986. The contemporary Louisiana restaurant in the Uptown Riverbend neighborhood recently celebrated its 36th anniversary, and this month they celebrate a 34-year membership with the Louisiana Restaurant Association. On top of these two milestones, Chef Brigtsen is adding a third by receiving the 2022 Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award, presented by the New Orleans Food & Wine Experience. Chef Brigtsen recalls a fond memory of Ella Brennan that still inspires him today. Back when it was Brennan’s Vieux Carre Restaurant, she would knock door-to-door on neighboring restaurants and bars to foster a strong restaurant community. “She felt that if they came together and marketed themselves as a group, good things would happen. It wasn’t about competition, but community,” Chef Brigtsen said. “The LRA is a prime example of how productive and powerful we can be when we stand together. Their representation in our State Legislature and the U.S. Congress has been instrumental in keeping our industry a vital part of our culture and economy.” A membership with the LRA has many benefits for business owners, like the Workers’ Compensation Program. This program has served as the model for other restaurant association funds throughout the country. Their diligent claims administration, expert loss prevention, and conservative underwriting make the program successful. “The LRA Workers’ Compensation Program has been an affordable way to protect our staff,” said Chef Brigtsen. “We receive dividends every year for maintaining safety in our workplace.” The LRA Education Foundation promotes the restaurant industry as a career choice for young students seeking a rewarding career in culinary and hospitality. Chef Brigtsen has been involved with the Education Foundation for years, mentoring ProStart graduates who wish to follow in his footsteps. His passion is teaching and sharing through food. For 15 years, he taught public cooking classes at the New Orleans Cooking Experience, sharing his love for America’s greatest regional cuisine. He also teaches Contemporary Creole/Acadian cuisine as Adjunct Professor at the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University. He serves as the inaugural Chef-in-Residence for the Culinary Arts program at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA). “The Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award is the pinnacle of my 50-year career,” said Chef Brigtsen. “The fact that I started out at Commander’s Palace as a young apprentice makes it all the more meaningful.” All three of these significant life events have deepened Chef Brigtsen’s love for the state of Louisiana, and the hospitality industry that is so deeply rooted in New Orleans. “Miss Ella and Chef Paul Prudhomme, who hired me there, have been the two major influences in my professional life,” Chef Brigtsen said. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world. To be a Chef in America’s greatest food city, and contribute to its evolving culture, has been a distinct privilege. I am deeply grateful.”  The Garden District’s Tavern-Style Bar Unveils New Menu & Music LineupNestled on the ground floor of New Orleans’ charming Pontchartrain Hotel, the Bayou Bar is a convivial gathering place perfect for locals and visitors alike. The casual tavern-style bar is filled with history and memories including serving as a drinking den for both Sinatra and Capote and being the locale where the New Orleans Saints football franchise was christened in 1966. Now, the cozy 40-seat bar has just unveiled a brand-new menu, along with an expanded live music program, featuring a rotating roster of local artists every night from Tuesday through Saturday (performance times vary). Under the direction of Chef/Co-owner Brian Landry, new eats at Bayou Bar showcase Louisiana’s bounty of seasonal ingredients. New appetizers include Crawfish Cornbread with lemon, cherry peppers and sherry vinegar; Citrus & Chili Seared Tuna with olive mix and preserved lemon; and Tuna Rillettes with capers, lemon, mayonnaise and crackers. Mainplate additions include Poisson en Papillote – beautiful filets of fresh seasonal fish baked in parchment and served with fingerling potatoes, charred corn and crab boil butter and Soft-Shell Crab BLT with pork belly, lettuce, tomato and white remoulade. Imbibers will enjoy Bayou Bar’s extensive whiskey selection and refreshing craft cocktails like the Endless Summer – reposado tequila, coconut, cucumber and lemon shrub and A Frosé by Any Other Name – vodka, Cocchi Americano, orange liqueur, apricot and strawberry. Bayou Bar has captured the attention of locals and visitors for its live music program, featuring some of the city’s most talented artists. With a rollicking Steinway, stellar acoustics, and a warm, intimate vibe, Bayou Bar is the perfect spot to gather with friends and enjoy a night of music. Performances take place Tuesday – Sunday; run three full hours with no cover charge and include local artists like Peter Harris, David Torkanowsky, Jordan Anderson and others. For full music lineup and performance times, please visit Bayou Bar Music Calendar. Bayou Bar is located at Pontchartrain Hotel, 2031 Saint Charles Avenue in New Orleans’ Garden District and is open Sunday - Thursday 11AM – 11PM; Friday and Saturday 11AM – Midnight. For general information, please call (504) 323-1456 or visit www.bayoubarneworleans.com One of the LRA's newest members is Gail's Fine Ice Cream. Located in Baton Rouge, the ice cream shop from the Hufft Marchand Hospitality (HMH) group is the newest addition to the Perkins Road Overpass District. Co-Founder of Gail's and CEO of HMH Nick Hufft says this opening means the start of something big and new.  Gail's Fine Ice Cream of Hufft Marchand Hospitality. Photo courtesy of Gail's Fine Ice Cream. What started as a window down the side of HMH's Junior's on Harrison, out in New Orleans, has grown to opening a flagship store in Baton Rouge, primed to be a prototype for future Gail's locations. Hufft says the location is perfect for post-dinner and post-shopping traffic, it's also right on the other side of the I-10 overpass from his other restaurant The Overpass Merchant. This location was too good to pass up, so when the former tenants moved out he was right there to scoop up the property. "We're already an anchor in the neighborhood, we’ve been there for seven years," said Hufft. "So, I had been eyeing it down for a minute. We looked at the location as --- it's in one of the greatest neighborhoods in Baton Rouge, but really surrounded by commercial businesses, boutiques, and restaurants. Having foot traffic, and not having an ice cream shop in the neighborhood, we thought it would be a great place." Hufft began his career in restaurants after a novel idea he had one night out at the bars. The LSU graduate from New Orleans wished he had some familiar comforts of home like late night eating at classic New Orleans hot spots Camellia Grill. His ingenuity, and passion for the customer experience, sparked the drive for starting his own food truck. Once known as Moochies Mobile Muchies, many of us now know it as the burger joint Curbside Burgers in Mid-City. "I walked out of a bar one night and there was no Dough Bowl, no Trolley Stop or Camellia Grill for me to eat at," Hufft said. "So I took it upon myself to change that." Everything continued to grow for Hufft and his business partner Lon Marchand. The two opened The Overpass Merchant, and then Junior's on Harrison in 2019, with Gail's Fine Ice Cream being served from a window behind the restaurant.  The first Gail's location on Harrison Avenue in Lakeview, New Orleans. Photo courtesy of Gail's Fine Ice Cream. Currently, Gail's is focusing on getting it right in Baton Rouge before expansion continues. They've brought on Rachel Caprera to oversee the ice cream, but her main role is the new pastry chef, overseeing all pastry production for all HMH restaurants. Caprera formerly worked in the kitchens of Commander's Palace, Restaurant August and Willa Jean. All of the flavors are made in special small batches, ensuring that fine, homemade taste. Gail's flavors range from classic vanilla, to out of the ordinary, yet still familiar, like the little monsters (vanilla bean ice cream dyed azure and studded with bits of Oreos) and lemon berry ice box pie (Hufft's favorite, made with homemade lemon curd and berry compote). Caprera also used true Madagascar vanilla beans for the vanilla ice cream, and extra brute cocoa powder for the milk chocolate flavor. It's all about taking time, and making an effort to use quality and premium ingredients says Hufft.
No matter how old you are, you can enjoy the sweet pleasure of ice cream, Hufft's favorite thing about the dessert. When the school bell rings, kids in the long line are full of joy. Fresh out of the classroom, they patiently wait for their turn to see the offerings of the case. The response to the opening in Baton Rouge has been great he says, with lines out the door every night until 9 pm. "There’s never a disgruntled customer," Hufft said. "We have yet to see someone not smiling as they enter the building. Ice cream makes everyone happy. Anyone from 3 to 90 years old can enjoy it. We take pride in using fresh ingredients for our batches. We’re happy to be serving these two communities a product that we love making."  Photo courtesy of Gail's Fine Ice Cream. Birdy’s Behind the Bower, the charming Instagram-worthy spot perched in the back of New Orleans’ Framework building, is known for serving up some of the Crescent City’s most delectable Southern-inspired, locally sourced American fare. At Birdy’s, the chefs work closely with partner farm, Sugar Roots, to source fresh, local ingredients for dishes that range from comforting house-made breakfast items and specialty toasts to health-conscious power bowls and salads. Now, the indoor/outdoor eatery is pleased to announce the debut of a brand new Spring menu with the launch of All-Day Brunch. “After being open for a year, we have realized that some of our most popular items are only offered on the weekends. Our goal with the daily brunch menu is to offer a little bit of everything,” says Mark Latter, owner/operator of Latter Hospitality. “Now, guests can order a benedict and Brunch Board any day of the week.” Available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8AM-2PM; Saturday and Sunday from 8AM-3PM, Birdy’s new all-encompassing menu offers something for every diner.
Selections run the gamut of salad and sandwich options for those on their lunch break during work, to a Classic Breakfast and Huevos Rancheros for breakfast aficionados. New standouts include the Debris Benedict served with shredded beef, poached eggs, buttermilk biscuit, hollandaise, pickled red onions; Mushroom Patty Melt – broccoli, white cheddar and caramelized onions served on brioche; Polenta Toast – crispy white cheddar polenta, Buster crab, roasted poblano pepper and corn vinaigrette, queso fresco; French Toast made with brioche, served with whipped ricotta, lemon curd and blueberries; and a festive Funfetti Bubble Waffle served with Louisiana strawberries, chantilly cream and granola. Of course, Birdy’s famed Brunch Board – donut, granola, slab bacon, hot coppa, bubble waffle, fruit, seasonal jam, mini cookies, mini pancakes, triple crème brie, soft boiled eggs; and Biscuit Board – whipped local honey butter, seasonal jam, chicken sausage gravy are also available. As no brunch is complete without boozy concoctions, guests can choose from a variety of brunch cocktails to indulge in, such as $20 Bottomless Mimosas; Birdy’s Bloody Mary; Cold Brew Old Fashioned - Jameson, cold brew, mole bitters; Lillet Spritz - Lillet Blanc, soda, bubbles; and Hummingbird - white peach Grey Goose, fiero, simple syrup, grapefruit, orange juice, luxardo cherries. Wine, beer, mocktails, smoothies, coffee and specialty lattes are also available. Birdy’s now offers a combined breakfast, lunch and brunch menu Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8AM-2PM; Saturday and Sunday from 8AM-3PM. The restaurant is closed on Wednesday. Birdy’s Behind the Bower is located at 1320 Magazine Street in New Orleans. Telephone: (504) 302 2992. Reservations can be made online at https://birdysnola.com/ April is recognized as National Brunch Month, and we’re honoring the month by digging deep into the culinary history of New Orleans and Chef Madame Begue, the unintentional creator of Brunch.New Orleans is a city of firsts. The city’s restaurant scene has been a breeding ground for original recipes, world-class chefs and dining habits made into steadfast traditions, (e.g., brunch). We all know what brunch is, the widely popular late-breakfast-early-lunch meal celebrated across the world, but let’s not forget Chef Madame Begue and her contribution to the culinary scene in the late 19th century, bringing ‘brunch’ to the masses with her ‘butcher’s breakfast’ on the corner of Decatur and Madison streets. The trend of dining late on the weekend has evolved tremendously, and is now commonplace for any restaurant to have a brunch menu, but Chef Madame Begue lit the fire to the brunch fuse. The Bavarian-born Elizabeth Kettenring moved to New Orleans in 1853 to be with her brother, a French Market butcher. It was through her brother Phillip that she met and married Louis Dutrey, and then soon after the couple opened Dutrey’s Coffee Shop on Decatur and Madison streets. She served butchers and service workers from the Mississippi River, and gained quite the reputation for her French-Creole recipes. Sadly, Louis passed away but Elizabeth kept cooking.  Madame Begue. Photo credit The Times Picayune. She found love again five years later with another butcher, Hypolite Begue, and married him, taking his name and changing the name of her café to Begue’s Exchange. The spot drew a large local crowd of butchers and local workers every day at 11 a.m. This was about the time they were winding down after having been working since dawn, so a good meal was necessary. By the time the World Cotton Centennial came to town in 1884, Begue’s Exchange was the place to be. Tourists dropping off the train into the French Quarter caught wind of her lavish ‘butcher's breakfast’ and had to try it for themselves. A meal intentionally meant for locals unintentionally became a sensational experience for tourists. According to the Times Picayune the World Cotton Centennial was a financial fail for the city because less than half of the expected crowd showed up, but brunch lives on as one of its legacies, this written in 1917 on the day of Hypolite’s death. The Times Picayune wrote “one started with shrimp salad, ham omelette and chicken blanquette,” in a nostalgia piece on June 21, 1925. “Then liver a la Begue, for which the restaurant was famous. Veal chops with green peas and potatoes browned in butter, salad, dessert and coffee.” Madame Begue’s also made spectacular use of the fresh local seafood and used traditional Creole cooking methods. Word traveled fast to Begue’s neighbor Tujague’s, just a few doors down on Decatur Street. Husband and wife owners Guillaume and Marie Abadie Tujague welcomed in all the extra diners later in the day, offering their own version of the 'second breakfast.' Madame Begue famously only served 30 diners a day. Her small dining room and stand-up bar left out many hopeful guests. Upon Madame Begue’s passing in 1906, many were saddened and her legacy lives on as the first Creole chef of New Orleans. Begue’s Exchange lost its touch after she left. Hypolite had married a woman who worked closely with Madame Begue, so she knew her recipes, but it just wasn’t the same. When Guillaume Tujague passed, his sister and her husband took control of Tujague's and bought out Begue’s Exchange, ultimately moving Tujague’s the fateful corner of Decatur and Madison streets. The second oldest restaurant in New Orleans, and third oldest continually operating restaurant in the nation, was housed in that building for over 100 years. Now, Tujague’s is located blocks down the other side of Jackson Square at 429 Decatur Street. Owner Mark Latter succeeded the property and business from his father Steven Latter, who owned it with his brother Stanford. The brothers purchased Tujague’s from Phillip Guichet Sr. and his business partner Jean-Dominic Castet, who had taken over from the original owner’s sister, Alice Tujague Anouilh. Latter is proud to have Tujague’s under his hospitality group Latter Hospitality, and to carry on the Tujague’s name in New Orleans. He has played a large role in the modernization of Tujague’s brunch and dinner menu. “With Tujague’s having such a longstanding tradition at dinner service with our original Table d'Hote prix fixe menu, it is nice to also honor the tradition of brunch here in New Orleans,” said Latter. “Our menu celebrates the idea of a wonderful French Quarter brunch experience with dishes highlighting local ingredients like our Crawfish Cakes and Eggs. Only in New Orleans can brunch include a bowl of gumbo or a fried shrimp po-boy.” Brunch food has typically been a combination of eggs and meats, with the additions of soups and cocktails, but Latter likes knowing Tujague’s also gives their guests a true New Orleans dining experience wrapped in the brunch concept.  The crab cakes benedict from Tujague's. Photo courtesy of Sam Hanna. “We have options for the more casual brunch-goer, those who want to enjoy a lavish three course occasion, and everything in between,” said Latter. “Perhaps most important, bottomless mimosas are available to keep the fun going.” At the helm of the kitchen is Executive Chef Gus Martin who enjoys paying tribute to Madame Begue through his menu. Though the recipes are not the same, they are inspired by the idea of people coming together over a hearty meal. Brunch may be breakfast-meets-lunch, but the deeper meaning of connection is clear. “Brunch is really about sitting around at the table enjoying good food and spending time with good friends and family,” said Chef Martin. “That’s something that I’m sure existed back in the days of the butcher’s breakfast: a group of comrades sitting around a table enjoying a satisfying meal after a long early morning of work. While we might not serve the same dishes that were originally served at Madame Begue’s, we honor that same tradition of a group of folks around the table enjoying a lasting meal together.” |
AuthorThe Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) was established in 1946 to advocate on behalf of the state’s foodservice and hospitality industries. Archives
June 2022
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