NEW ORLEANS — Black History Month concluded in February, but the legacy it celebrates — Black leadership and achievement in business — continues to shape the hospitality landscape at Brennan’s New Orleans.
The French Quarter restaurant, founded in 1946 and marking its 80th anniversary in 2026, reports that 65% of its culinary team comprises women and people of color. The company traces that composition to a long tradition of mentorship and promotion from within — one that has placed Black chefs in leadership roles for more than half of the restaurant’s history.
In 1974, Michael Roussel rose from dishwasher to executive chef, becoming one of the first African American chefs to lead a major fine dining restaurant in New Orleans. Trained under longtime Executive Chef Paul Blangé, Roussel led the kitchen for 30 years, mentoring successive generations of cooks.
Lazone Randolph followed a similar path, advancing from dishwasher to executive chef and creating enduring dishes such as Chicken Lazone during his 15-year tenure.
This leadership tradition reflects a broader economic reality in New Orleans, where Black entrepreneurship plays a significant role in the city’s business landscape.
Black Business by the Numbers
New Orleans ranks among the top U.S. metros for the share of Black-owned businesses. An analysis by LendingTree, based on U.S. Census Bureau Annual Business Survey data, found that 6.2% of businesses in the New Orleans metro area are Black-owned — nearly three times the national average of roughly 2.3%. The analysis identified approximately 1,185 Black-owned firms out of about 19,062 total businesses locally.
While Black residents comprise roughly 38% of the city’s population, Black-owned firms represent a smaller share of total businesses, indicating continued underrepresentation. However, data from The Data Center shows the number of Black-owned employer firms in metro New Orleans increased by roughly 24.5% between 2017 and the most recent reporting year.
A Legacy in the Kitchen
At Brennan’s, leadership is rooted in decades of culinary mentorship. Paul Blangé, who joined the restaurant in the mid-20th century, is credited with inventing Bananas Foster in 1951 alongside Ella Brennan. Beyond signature dishes, he was known within the company for identifying and developing talent across ranks.
That mentorship pipeline produced leaders such as Roussel and Randolph, whose tenures helped define the restaurant’s culinary identity. According to the company, an African American chef has led the Brennan’s kitchen for more than half of its history — a continuity that company leaders say has influenced both food and culture inside the restaurant.
Leadership and Culture
Ralph Brennan, whose hospitality group includes six establishments, said that continuity reflects a deliberate philosophy shaped by his uncle, Owen Brennan Jr., who in 1946 established the principle that “There are no strangers here.”
“My father taught us that hospitality means everyone belongs — at the table and in the kitchen,” Brennan said. “We don’t rest on legacy. It’s not what we inherit — it’s what we build together.”
As Brennan’s marks its 80th year, that continuity underscores both the restaurant’s longevity and its role within a broader New Orleans economy where Black-owned businesses represent a higher share of firms than the national average. In a city where hospitality is a defining industry, leaders say inclusive mentorship and promotion from within have helped institutions like Brennan’s adapt and endure across generations.
