Commander's Palace

History

The award-winning Haute Creole restaurant Commander's Palace was established in 1893, and is located in the Garden District of Uptown New Orleans (1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, 70130). Owned by the Commander's Family of Restaurants, whose matriarch Ella Brennan, resides next door, it has long been one of the best-regarded upscale restaurants in the country. Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse are two of its alumni. Commander's Palace is the winner of six James Beard Foundation awards, including Best Chef and Outstanding Service Award. It was ranked the most famous restaurant in New Orleans.

Emile Commander established a small saloon at the corner of Washington Avenue and Coliseum Street in 1893. Within a few years he turned it into a restaurant patronized by the distinguished neighborhood families of the Garden District. By 1900 Commander's Palace was attracting gourmets from all over the world.

In the 1920s, Frank G. Giarratano was the owner of the restaurant. He lived above the restaurant with his wife, Rose, and their two sons. There were rumors that there were private dining rooms upstairs rented to riverboat captains, visitors, etc. The upstairs rooms were the private residence of Mr. Giarratano and his family, while the downstairs, with a separate entrance, remained a family establishment. Fearing that the restaurant business would decline from what it had been during World War II, and Giarratano's declining health, he sold the restaurant to Frank and Elinor Moran after the war ended.

In 1944, Frank and Elinor Moran bought Commander's Palace, refurbished it, and carried on its tradition of excellence with an expanded menu including many recipes still used.

Thirty years later, when the famous Brennan restaurant family of New Orleans took over, they redesigned the interior to complement the outdoor setting. Large windows replaced walls, and custom trellises and paintings were commissioned.

From 2001-2003 the restaurant hosted the Turner South series, Off The Menu. Many of the segments were based on hunting and then turning the day's catch into a five-star dinner.

The restaurant suffered extensive damage due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After a full renovation, the restaurant re-opened on October 1, 2006.

In 2015, the Brennan family uncovered that the restaurant did not open in 1880, as is inscribed on the plaque on the front of the restaurant, but actually opened in 1893. To the owners' amusement, many articles still refer to the opening year as 1880. The restaurant even held an "Oops" promotion during the fall of 2015 with special cocktails and go-cups to commemorate the discovery.

Awards and honors

In 2013, Executive Chef Tory McPhail won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South. In 1996, the Foundation awarded the Most Outstanding Restaurant honor to the restaurant. Other James Beard Awards include Lifetime Achievement Award (Ella Brennan) 2009, Outstanding Service Award 1993, and Best Chef, Southeast Region (Jamie Shannon) 1999.

Since 2012, Commander's Palace has been a recipient of the Wine Spectator Grand Award. Zagat has listed Commander’s Palace as the “Most Popular Restaurant in New Orleans” for 18 years. In 2008, the restaurant was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America Hall of Fame.

Recent Commander's Palace accolades include 10 Best New Orleans Restaurants by Nola.com, 100 Best Wine Restaurants by Wine Enthusiast and the number one wine list in the U.S. by The Daily Meal.