Ralph Brennan: a leader in the restaurant industry and beyond
A third generation member of the famed Brennan dynasty, Ralph Brennan is an innovative restaurateur, an enthusiastic wine and food connoisseur, a great host, and a tireless advocate for the food industry, both locally and nationally. He also participates in numerous philanthropic endeavors, and sits on numerous boards. In short, he is a powerhouse in the industry, and most definitely someone to watch.
The former president and chairman of the National Restaurant Industry, Ralph Brennan has also presided over both the Louisiana Restaurant Association and the New Orleans Restaurant Association. He has served as chairman of the board of the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center, and was honored in 2011 with an appointment to the U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors for the 2011-2013 term. In 2012, he was invited to serve on the Board of Trustees for the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, a top honor for even the most famous of restaurateurs.
Brennan grew up immersed in restaurants, tagging along with his father, grandfather, and aunts on weekends at Brennan’s Restaurant in the French Quarter, where he worked as a prep cook in high school. After obtaining a degree in accounting from Tulane University, then an MBA, and working as an accountant, he returned to the family business and formed Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group which includes Red Fish Grill in the French Quarter, Ralph’s on the Park in Mid-City, Café Noma in the New Orleans Museum of Art, Heritage Grill in the Heritage Plaza, Café B in Metairie, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen located at the Disneyland Resort, and Ralph Brennan Catering and Events. He is also co-owner of Mr. B’s Bistro in the French Quarter, Commander’s Palace in the Garden District, and Brennan’s of Houston. For 20 years he owned and operated BACCO in the French Quarter, a concept he will soon be relocating to another area of the Crescent City.
During his time off, Brennan says he enjoys fishing, golfing, skiing, and going to the gym every day; he is also a highly competent cook who enjoys entertaining with his wife at their lovely uptown residence near Audubon Park. Any occasion at all, or even no occasion at all, provides the Brennan’s with an excuse to gather around food and cocktails for hours of fun with family and friends. I recently caught up with Brennan to ask him about his recent appointments, honors, and reflections about Carnival in New Orleans.
I understand that you have been invited by the Culinary Institute of America to become a member of the Board of Trustees, which is a truly great honor. what duties WILL THIS involve (such as overseeing the organization’s direction, activities, and/or programs); how many members generally serve on this prestigious board; and are there many other restaurateurs who have been bestowed this honor since its inception, or is it primarily chefs who serve on the board?
The board’s responsibilities are to provide guidance and direction to the administration of the university with regard to its operations and multiple campuses. The CIA board is comprised of a cross-section of the industry restaurateurs, suppliers, and a handful of chefs.
You are a restaurateur who has worn many hats, from your many local philanthropic endeavors to running top national organizations, such as serving as past president and chairman of the National Restaurant Association. What would you say is the biggest challenge we currently face in the restaurant industry nationwide?
The biggest challenge faced by the industry is slow growth due to the lingering effects of the recession on the national economy. A meal at a restaurant is discretionary and challenging economic times impact the consumer’s ability to eat out.
I recall that in 2010, you testified before Congress in Washington about the impact of the BP oil spill on Gulf Coast tourism, which is critical to the restaurant industry. Do you feel that we have managed to recoup our losses since then in terms of dispelling national misperceptions about New Orleans seafood? Have we finally turned the corner, so to speak, or do we still have a way to go to collectively improve the outlook?
With regard to travel and tourism we are making progress to getting back to normal; however, as far as the perception of the safety of Gulf seafood is concerned, misperception still exists. Exports of Gulf seafood remains down, so we still have a ways to go in convincing the world that Gulf seafood is safe. With that said, when people travel to New Orleans there appears to be no hesitation about eating it.
What would you say are the unique elements of New Orleans and the Louisiana restaurant industry regarding our culinary standards and staying power as compared to such top culinary meccas as New York?
First, New Orleans and Louisiana have a unique product driven primarily by seafood from the Gulf. Second, we have a passion for food that is different than other parts of the country. Food is a key element of our lifestyle here. We live to eat rather than eat to live. We gather and party around food be it a backyard crawfish boil or a local food festival like the Po-Boy Festival or the Oyster Festival. Third, ours is one of the distinct cuisines of America, and it is our job in the restaurant industry to preserve it and propel it forward.
What are some of your objectives regarding the New Orleans tourism industry since your recent appointment to the U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors for the 2011-2013 term?
The tourism industry in New Orleans is one of the key economic drivers of the city. We need to continue to grow the industry, and increasing international visitation is one opportunity for growth. The U.S. Travel Association focuses on bringing international visitors to the United States. If we grow the international market in general, New Orleans’ share of this market should grow as well.
I love your new restaurant, Café B, which is right down the street from where I live. Why did you choose to open your first Metairie Restaurant at this time?
Opportunity and luck brought us to Metairie. In our quest to find a new location for BACCO, we heard about what is now café b’s location. While the location was not right for the BACCO concept, we fell for the neighborhood and decided to create a new and unique concept for this multi-generational clientele. We are having a lot of fun!
We celebrate Carnival season in New Orleans this month. What are some of your fondest Mardi Gras memories, from childhood and beyond?
My mother was a passionate Mardi Gras enthusiast. She used to bring us down to the original Brennan’s Restaurant in the French Quarter back when the parades still rolled through the Quarter. I distinctly remember sitting at a window table waiting for the parade and doing my homework. I also love Mardi Gras on St. Charles Avenue. I used to live half a block from the parade route, and when my kids were young it was so nice to roll the ladder down the street and watch almost every parade. I remember my eldest daughter Kathryn following the band down the street when she was about two years old. Mardi Gras brings the whole city together. We especially saw this after Katrina when the whole city rallied around the traditions we hold dear, even if the rest of the world thought we were crazy.
If you could design that one perfect, last New Orleans meal, what would it be?
It would have to be a whole day of eating. I’d start with coffee and beignets for breakfast, a fried Gulf shrimp po-boy for lunch, and for dinner turtle soup, grilled redfish on the half-shell topped with sautéed crabmeat in a meuniere butter sauce, and a rich custardy bread pudding with plenty of raisins in an Irish whiskey sauce. Also I’d have a bourbon milk punch for breakfast, an Abita beer for lunch, and a Sazerac before dinner. No New Orleans meal would be complete without one of our signature beverages. ✦
