New Orleans is undoubtedly the culinary capital of the South and we are more than proud of our one-of-a-kind cuisine down here. It’s no secret that we’ve got it going on in New Orleans, either. If you ask visitors to New Orleans what their favorite part about their trip was, one of the first things out of the majority of their mouths is, “The FOOD!” – because you just can’t get eats like this anywhere else. Our reputation for our incredible cuisine has been common knowledge for generations, but several of our world-class New Orleans chefs have also made big names for themselves, further spreading the word. New Orleans is home to some of the best celebrity chefs in the business, and tourists are dying to get a taste of their award-winning cooking on their home turf.
New Orleans Chef Emeril Lagasse (photo via draftmag.com)
A household name, Chef Emeril Lagasse built his culinary career in New Orleans, making a name for himself at Commander’s Palace before the word “Bam!” took him to nation-wide fame, and then to continued culinary greatness in NOLA with his many restaurants, and not to mention the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. Chef John Besh is always popping up on the Food Network with his culinary expertise, and his New Orleans restaurant group continues to thrive. James Beard Award-winning Chef Donald Link has built his career, and restaurant menus, on creating expert, upscale takes on the traditional Cajun food he was raised on. From the Food Network to HBO’s Treme, as well as several awards for her cooking and cookbooks, Chef Susan Spicer has infiltrated the kitchens and hearts of many, all while keeping her NOLA restaurants going strong. Chef Tory McPhail also made a name for himself at Commander’s Palace, and has shown his cooking prowess in the kitchen on and off screen over the years. And these are just a handful of the top-notch talent that are revered all over the country, but are proud to call New Orleans home. What’s more is Bravo has been showcasing all of our culinary culture this season on “Top Chef New Orleans.” Millions have been getting a savory helping of New Orleans flavor every week.
New Orleans Chef Susan Spicer (photo via louisianaseafoodnews.com)
The world is hungry for New Orleans cooking, and these celebrity chefs have kept folks craving a visit to our city. As New Orleanians, it can be easy to take advantage of the fact that we have such well-respected chefs all over town — it’s just a way of life here in this culinary paradise — but we can also be proud that these chefs keep the love and intrigue for New Orleans cuisine alive and well, and that helps to fuel our number one industry of tourism. From the happy feeling in our bellies to the increases in our quality of life here in New Orleans, we can be grateful to these New Orleans celebrity chefs; success and recognition for them means an even stronger tourism industry for us.