"I hate the history," says Ti Adelaide Martin, co-owner with her cousin Lally Brennan of Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Commander's Palace in New Orleans. "I don't care. That's not what we're about. Yes, it's slightly interesting that some restaurants in New Orleans are much older. But what's more interesting to me is what you're trying to do now, and what we're pushing toward is so cool. We're just not going to stand still. It's just not who we are."
Despite Martin's feelings on the matter, that history is singularly important to the celebration and elevation of regional cuisines, both in Louisiana and across the U.S. The late Ella Brennan, Martin's mother and known as "Miss Ella" to all, had worked at her brother Owen's New Orleans restaurants and, in 1956, helped open Brennan's. She left that establishment in 1973 after a family dispute and, with some of her other siblings, bought Commander's, which has been at its current location since 1893.
Brennan was universally known as tenacious and caring, and her contributions were many. Chief among them were her elevation of regional cuisines, her discovery and promotion of talented chefs (Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse among them) and her commitment to investing in and educating herself on wine before that was commonplace. She was also a national figure in her own right (you can watch a documentary about her, called Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table, or read her memoir, Miss Ella of Commander's Palace).
But her greatest legacy is the forward-thinking that her daughter mentions: "That's the culture of this restaurant. You know, a lot of that just comes from my life, and my mom. She was the main person who yanked New Orleans out of the past and pushed for the future. So we're very busy, still yanking. I think some of the most exciting food in my history is happening in New Orleans right now."
Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New Zealand's Success Story
From small beginnings, the country’s wines have ascended to global prominence
Wine Is Healthiest Choice for Drinkers
Decades of research has linked light to moderate drinking, especially of wine, to a range of health benefits.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Crust
“Dough is always the hardest challenge for any home chef,” explains chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani. “But it’s the foundation of any great pizza.”
SEAVEY VINEYARD
In Napa’s Conn Valley, a family-run winery marches to its own drum
CALIFORNIA RHONES Show Their Range
RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES
Tuscany Comes of Age
Anchored by the 2021 vintage, Tuscan reds set a new standard of quality
The Absolute Best Places to Eat and Drink in America
PROFILES OF THE 63 WINE SPECTATOR GRAND AWARD WINNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AS THE PROGRAM MARKS ITS 44TH YEAR
Events- A Grand Tour for Wine Spectator- a perfect day with an evening of outstanding wines.
A young couple in shorts and festival shirts sped into the ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott on a mission.
Big Wine Players Target Pinot Noir - Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they're looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they’re looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Restaurant Awards- Lazy Bear- Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it's so much more.
Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it’s so much more. This Mission District restaurant effortlessly strips away the formality of a multicourse dinner and replaces it with conviviality, nostalgia and curiosity. With reverence for time and place, Lazy Bear is an ode to California where guests dine in concert with the season and can explore diverse wines, including an impressive collection of older California vintages.
