In celebration of Commander’s Palace’s 125th anniversary and New Orleans’ Tricentennial, the Commander’s Family of Restaurants will host a day-long discussion about the past, present, and future of food and hospitality in America on Monday, September 17 at The New Orleans Orpheum Theater. The day will consist of a variety of provocative sessions led by industry experts and thought leaders, such as Danny Meyer, Will Guidara, Barbara Lynch, John T. Edge, Emeril Lagasse, Dominque Crenn, Ashley Christensen, David Wondrich, and more. Discussion topics include the growth of American cuisine, hospitality, technology, females in the restaurant industry, New Orleans, and cocktail culture.

The event is a resurrection of the American Cuisine and Hospitality Symposium that Commander’s Palace Matriarch Ella Brennan hosted in 1983. It was considered by many to be a seminal moment in the history of the modern American food movement. Headlines following the event read, “Is There an American Cuisine?” The 2018 American Cuisine and Hospitality Symposium will not only examine how we got here, and shine a light to where we are headed, but also honor the life and career of Miss Ella, who passed away this May at the age of 92.

“On the occasion of this monumental year for our family, business, and city, we are bringing together the best of food and hospitality in America to discuss how we continue to make it even better. It will be progressive, forward thinking and, most importantly, fun,” says Ti Adelaide Martin, Co-Proprietor of Commander’s Palace.

The event is organized by the Commander’s Family of Restaurants, with support from the following sponsors: 2018 NOLA Foundation, The New Orleans Orpheum Theater, The Roosevelt New Orleans, and Mountain Valley Spring Water. Tickets will be on sale to the public on June 29, 2018. More information, including the full lineup of participants, event details, and panel topic will be released in the coming weeks.