Ralph Brennan
President and Owner

Ralph Brennan’s family entered the hospitality business in 1947 with the purchase of the Old Absinthe Bar on Bourbon Street in the New Orleans French Quarter. The family eventually left that business to operate a small restaurant, Brennan’s Vieux Carré that eventually would become Brennan’s on Royal Street. In 1969, Ralph Brennan’s family purchased Commander’s Palace in the historic New Orleans Garden District.

In 1973, the family, stretched by running two thriving operations, left Brennan’s in the hands of the adult sons of their oldest brother Owen, then deceased, to focus all of their attention on Commander’s Palace. Built in 1883, Commander’s Palace has a long and colorful history. Under the direction of Ralph Brennan’s father’s generation and now Ralph’s own generation, Commander’s Palace ranks among the top restaurants in the world.

In 1979, the Commander’s Palace Brennans opened Mr. B’s Bistro on Royal Street in the French Quarter. The location they chose was the old Solari’s Delicatessen. Like that of its predecessors, the site for Mr. B’s was in part chosen for its historical value, and to this day, Ralph Brennan and Family pride themselves on the family tradition of appreciation and enhancement of each new location’s individual and historical significance.

Despite a successful stint as a Certified Public Accountant with Price Waterhouse & Company, Ralph Brennan entered the family business in the early 1980’s. One of eight third generation cousins actively involved in the restaurant industry today, Ralph Brennan and his cousins run ten New Orleans-style restaurants, seven of which are located in New Orleans.

Ralph Brennan is the owner of Red Fish Grill and BACCO in the New Orleans French Quarter and the Jazz Kitchen located in the Downtown Disney^® District at the DISNEYLAND^® Resort. Ralph is a co-owner of Mr. B’s Bistro, Commander’s Palace and Brennan’s of Houston. Ralph’s latest project is Tavern on the Park, a new restaurant venture across from historic City Park, opening in September of 2003.

Under Ralph’s direction, Mr. B's has been recognized consistently with '4 Bean' ratings from the Times Picayune and '4 Star' ratings from Menu Magazine's Tom Fitzmorris. In 1994 and 1995, Mr. B's was among five nationwide nominees for the James Beard MasterCard Outstanding Service Award, and in 1988 Mr. B's was awarded Restaurants & Institutions Magazine's prestigious Ivy Award and Nation's Restaurant News' Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award.

In 1991, Ralph Brennan and his sister opened BACCO, a contemporary Italian restaurant offering New Orleans’ most distinguished Italian cuisine. Located in the French Quarter and consistently awarded '4 bean' ratings by the Times Picayune and '4 star' ratings by Menu Magazine's Tom Fitzmorris, BACCO was selected as one of America’s 'Best New Restaurants of 1992' by John Mariani for Esquire Magazine. BACCO has been named 'New Orleans' Best Italian Restaurant' by local publications Gambit Weekly (1994), New Orleans Magazine (1995) and Where New Orleans (1999, 2000 and 2001). The 2001 Zagat Reader's Survey lists BACCO as one of New Orleans' 'Best Italian' and 'Most Romantic' restaurants.

In 1997, Ralph Brennan launched his third French Quarter eatery, Red Fish Grill, a casual New Orleans seafood restaurant located on Bourbon Street, the gateway into the historic French Quarter. Praised for its innovative menu and whimsical decor, Red Fish Grill was also recognized as one of New Orleans' ‘Best New Restaurants’ by the readers of Gambit Weekly (1997). The readers of Where New Orleans have named Red Fish Grill ‘New Orleans’ Best Seafood Restaurant’ in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.

In 2001, Ralph Brennan opened the Jazz Kitchen, a New Orleans-themed food and entertainment venue which debuted in January 2001 as part of the 1.4 billion dollar DISNEYLAND® Resort development which added a new theme park, a new hotel and a new retail, dining and entertainment district to the Southern California Resort. Conceptualized as a savvy representation of New Orleans’ dual legacies - food and music – the Jazz Kitchen was designed as a replica of traditional French Quarter architecture. The restaurant encompasses 15,000 square feet distributed over two floors and a second story exterior balcony.

A food service industry advocate, Ralph Brennan served as the 1995-1996 Chairman and President of the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the largest trade group representing the foodservice industry. An NRA Director since 1984, Brennan also served the National Restaurant Association as the 2000 – 2001 Chairman of its Educational Foundation.

A local leader and friend of business and tourism, Ralph Brennan was named Chairman of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in 1996 by Louisiana Governor Mike Foster and was appointed by New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial to serve on the New Orleans Aviation Board, which is entrusted with the administration and operation of New Orleans International Airport. Ralph Brennan is Past President of the Louisiana Restaurant Association and the New Orleans Restaurant Association. He was named Active Member of the Year by both organizations in 1989 and was named the Louisiana Restaurant Association's Restaurateur of the Year in 1999.

Ralph Brennan serves as Vice Chair of the New Orleans Business Council and is also a Past President of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. Ralph Brennan also serves as Chairman of the Board of Children’s Hospital. Recently, Ralph Brennan penned the forward to the New York Times #1 Best Selling Book Sugar Busters! and was also named 'New Orleans Entrepreneur of the Year' in the Food & Beverage category by Ernst and Young (1998). In 2001, he joined the Board of the University of New Orleans Foundation and the Louisiana Museum Foundation.

Ralph Brennan and his team currently are gearing up for a Fall 2003 opening of an unnamed restaurant on City Park Avenue in New Orleans directly across the street from scenic City Park. This restaurant, located in a residential neighborhood, is being conceptualized “By Locals For Locals” and is anticipated to draw a local clientele.