Commander's Palace Family of Restaurants
And the Nominees are ...
Spring/Summer 2011
Lifetime Achievement Award
(Ella Brennan, 2009)
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James Beard Awards do NOT come easily. Not many things that you truly
value do. Tory McPhail has been the chef of Commander's Palace since
2002, taking over after the death of his mentor and our beloved friend
Jamie Shannon. Big, big shoes to fill!
We never worried. We had our eye on Tory
since he was a nineteen year old dynamo. From
time to time, Tory would go off to cook in
Europe or the islands, but we would always
find him and reel him back in. We knew he was
"the one." He had that look in his eye - that
intensity, that endless curiosity about food
and that, apparently prerequisite, slightly
naughty streak. We're a hard working Irish clan
and we like to have fun! Tory's gracious presence
belies a just beneath the surface "hand in the cookie
jar" grin. And at the end of the day he is a gentleman.
That bit of lagniappe goes a long way with us.
When Tory was first our chef, he was
nominated by the James Beard Awards as a
"Rising Star" - one of just 5 in the entire
country. Now, Tory is a 2011 James Beard Award
nominee for Best Chef South. Never have we
had a chef more maniacal about each dish. He
pushes every cook to care about every
component of every dish, every time.
That ladies and gentleman - is how
you can tell the men from the boys.
We are so proud of Tory McPhail -
whether he wins or not. Because we already know,
we won, when we chose him to lead our team.
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Restaurant Award
Lifetime Outstanding
Service Award
Who's Who of Food
fi Beverage Award
Best Chef, Southeast Region
(Jamie Shannon, 1999)
Once you have won an award, you
are no longer eligible to win the
same award again.
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& the Swizzle StiCk Bar
Bar Chef Lu Brow as seen in Food Arts Magazine
Chef Chris Lusk has reigned this year as the King of Louisiana
Seafood. He took over from none other than last year's King
- Commander's chef Tory McPhail. Hard/or us not tofeel
button-popping proud of those two.
Chef Chris has done so many exciting latest new dish is the hallmark of a true pro.
things with seafood - Crabmeat Pound So when the BP oil spill happened last year,
cake with Port Salut Icing, Tasso Shrimp Chris took that passion and hit the road to
Com Dogs, Red Bean crusted oysters, and spread the word about the quality and safety
Cayenne Five Spice Rubbed Ahi Tuna - that of Louisiana seafood. "I feel confident now
we were thrilled (but not surprised) when the more than ever with the safety and quality of
King of Louisiana Seafood crown was put Louisiana seafood due to the fact that it has
on his cute bald head. (We have been look- been tested more than it ever has been and the
ing for the crown ever since ... ) Chris' playful fact that there are 7 federal agencies involved
modem Creole cooking has long emphasized with the testing on the local and national level. "
seafood in time tested, as well as "uniquely
Chris," ways. Who else would have t h ough t Eight cities and dozens of events
of Shrimp on Shn.m p on ~~n t. s US.i ng d ft.e d later, Ghris has ~ - true
shrimp to heighten the flavor of the jumb 0 ambassador for our city and our seafood.
Louisiana shrimp and grilled oregano red grits? To cap it off, Chef Chris and Bar ChefLu Brow
It really gets fun when Chris has an idea, an knocked' em dead at a James Beard House
inspiration, and then runs with it, like his dinner this past February with
Crawfish Sloppy Boudreaux. But I dishes and drinks like Chef Chris's
also wish I had a nickel for every Seafood Gumbo Consomme and Bar Chef
customer that has told me that Cafe Lu's French Market Coffee Cocktail.
Adelaide has the best gumbo they've ever had.
Caring about today's gumbo as much as the
When a gal gets to be a "certain age" (we're
talking Commander's Palace celebrating
130 years - not us), pampering yourself is a
bit in order. In this case, we decided to give
ourselves a gift. We'd long harbored a dream
to have a table in the wine cellar where a
small group could indulge in a private wine-apalooza,
a reserved formal dinner or raucous
bacchanal. But there was always an agingAC
system, a broken hood, or hurricane repairs
ahead on the list. Finally - we just did it.
Introducing the Wine Room. It's brand new
but from the way it's starting off - well, if
these walls could talk ...
With seating for up to 12, Dan Davis aka "The
Wine Guy" will create a specialized menu for
you with ChefTory. You can pick the wines - or a
region or a grape that you are into right now,
(Ti is into the "other whites" like Gruner
Veltliner, Gavi, Moschofilero, etc.) and Dan
and Tory will customize a pairing menu for
you. Dan now manages the largest wine
selection in New Orleans with 2450 selections
and over 14,000 bottles. The breadth and the
depth of the list is thrilling to all of us grape
nuts.
Ti inherited her wine passion from her mother
Ella who got to know the French wine makers
as a young restaurateur and later passionately
supported friend Robert Mondavi's wines. It
seems the whole team is into wine with Ti and
Tory passing the court of Master Sommelier
level 1 more than 10 years ago, Dan passed
the certified level and sat for the advanced test,
and over 50 of our employees have passed the
class.
There are over 120 half bottles so you don't
have to commit, but can still enjoy great wines;
and you can't even commit that much, Dan's
wine by the glass program has more than 40
offerings, many probably never seen on a
wine by the glass list before, like the allocated
'01 Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf-du-Pape
poured from magnum and the '07 Domaine
Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux Grand Cm.
But if that's too much of a commitment, half
glasses have always been offered and are all
the better for comparing.
Then again - why not commit all the way - to
ani t in the wine cellar!
B 1 S T R LE
Have you seen Brennan's 0/ Houston -lately? Brennan's
o/Houston reopened Mardi Gras Day 2010 after a tragic
fire during Hurricane Ike on September 13th, 2008.
Wow - it is smashing! Painstakingly
restored to highlight the graceful
John Staub building and courtyard,
but accented with modern design
flourishes - it is a knockout! Hats
off to Alex Brennan-Martin, Lally
Brennan and Dottie Brennan who
worked closely with Bill Johnson
decor is matched
flourish for flourish, daring new
touch for daring new touch - by
a menu that soars and soothes. It
welcomes you back with the Gulf
Fish Pontchartrain (jumbo lump
blue crab, J & J shrimp and crispy
Gulf oysters, with fire roasted
mushroom rice and Brennan's
Creole butter) and catches you off
guard with Paneed Red Fish and
Crawfish (sauteed baby bok choy,
shallot confit, oyster mushrooms
and mirlitons with smoked rom a
tomato butter) . New Orleans
boy and long time Commander's
Palace alum, Chef Danny Trace, is
putting his stamp on the Houston
food scene.
Alex Brennan -Martin chose
Danny for his depth of knowledge
of Creole cooking, and his perfect
pitch balancing daring evolutions
of our Texas Creole and healthy
respect for the cooking and
techniques that have come before
him. It didn't hurt that these two New
Orleans boys share a love ofhunting
and fishing that knows no bounds.
Brennan's of Houston - Welcome
Back ... Your time is Now!
Interested in visiting us in Houston? Call 713.522.9711
or visit www.BrennansHouston.com
