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Fed up with four to six month waiting lists to reserve
the chef’s table at their favorite New Orleans restaurants,
Paul and Sally Hooper in May of 2002 decide to turn frustration
into inspiration. They sold their Tampa, Florida home
and catering business, moved to the Big Easy and created
a company which provides a chef’s table experience for
anyone who wants it, any time they want it.
The most prized seats in any restaurant are at the chef’s
table, which is usually back in the kitchen so that the
chef can personally attend to the diners. Typically, the
guests are treated to small-portion samplings of dishes
which show off the chef’s creativity and skill.
It is not uncommon for chef’s table guests to feast
on five-to-seven courses, with a different wine poured
with each course. Unfortunately, it is also not uncommon
to encounter waiting lists of six months or more for the
chef’s table at those New Orleans restaurants that have
one.
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"With that much demand, such little
supply, and absolutely no competition, we couldn’t wait
to get to New Orleans and get this business rolling." said
Sally.
Chef’s Table Tours officially conducted it’s first public
tour in September, 2002 at GW Fins restaurant in the French
Quarter, and there have been more than 200 tours at four
different venues since. To the Hooper’s knowledge, their
company is the only one in the U.S. offering this type
of service.
On a typical Chef’s Table Tour, Paul and Sally greet
their guests as they arrive at the restaurant. After being
seated at their reserved V.I.P. Table - on the main floor
of the restaurant instead of in the kitchen - each guest
receives a "lagniappe" (LAN-yap; a little something extra)
from the Hoopers as a remembrance of the evening.
The "Chef’s Table Tourists" are then escorted back into
the kitchen where they meet and talk with the chef, and
see first-hand how a prominent New Orleans
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restaurant operates. Back at the table, they enjoy a
customized multi-course tasting menu created exclusively
for them by the chef. Each course is paired with a different
glass of fine wine.
Groups as small as two people can book a private tour
at any of the New Orleans restaurants offering Chef’s
Table Tours. The average per-person cost is $77.50, which
includes the kitchen tour, multi-course tasting menu,
wine pairings and lagniappe. Sally adds, "The looks of
envy from the other customers are yours to enjoy at no
extra charge!"
Restaurants include Gamay Bistro & Bar, GW Fins,
RioMar - a Seafood Destination, The Bombay Club &
Martini Bistro, Cobalt and Uncle Buck’s Crawfish Boils.
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