6 Recipes from Commander's Palace in New Orleans
Family Meal has been a tradition at Commander’s Palace, the grand old Creole restaurant in New Orleans, since its great matriarch, Ella Brennan, took over in 1974. Long before Commander’s legendary chef Paul Prudhomme convinced diners to try cochon de lait and other delicacies of his rural Lousianan youth, he was feeding them to his staff as part of meals served religiously before lunch and dinner service. Likewise, those who worked under Prudhomme’s successor, a young unknown Emeril Lagasse, got a twice-daily sampling of the food that would soon be defined by the single syllable, Bam!
These days, it’s James Beard Award winner Tory McPhail and his team that presides over the daily meals that feed around 100 staffers. It’s a rare chance for bus boys and managers, line cooks and dishwashers, servers and owners to all sit together, fortifying themselves before facing the onslaught of tourists and regulars. The food varies, but on Mondays for lunch, there’s always red beans and rice, and there’s always salad and dessert. “We all work our tails off here. Let’s take a second, sit down and actually have some smart, really good, well-thought-out food,” says McPhail. Find six of McPhail's recipes below, and bring a little New Orleans into your own kitchen.
