For years, locals have done their best at home recreating what co-proprietor Ti Martin calls Commander’s Palace’s “fanatical hospitality.”
“It’s that extra touch — the chilled glassware your friend pulls from the refrigerator when you arrive for a dinner party, showing they care enough to elevate their hosting for you.”
During the pandemic, the company’s partnership with Goldbelly’s food delivery service brought the Commander’s experience to homes around the country. Early this year,
Commander’s expanded by opening a casual eatery, Le Petit Bleu, next door to the famed restaurant, which has further expanded the brand.
Inspired by the crêperies of Paris, co-proprietor Lally Brennan describes Le Petit Bleu as “a tiny jewel-box of a restaurant.” Along with dine-in and takeout food options, cocktails, cookbooks and Ella Brennan’s memoir line the shelves alongside whimsical merchandise bearing Tally’s likeness on socks and baseball caps.
“We were working on a bird logo when a customer asked if I was ‘Tally,’” Martin laughed. Unwittingly, the fan had conflated the two cousins’ (Ti and Lally’s) names, providing the perfect moniker for their mascot.
Proprietary cocktail mixes from El Guapo and French Truck’s special Commander’s blend coffee join “Cook It Like Commander’s” kitchen accessories ranging from a cherry-wood roux spoon to TILIT professional aprons.
“The industry agrees that TILIT produces the best chef’s aprons,” explained Martin. “It’s a bonus that Andrew McCrery and Jenny Goodman met while working as sous chefs in Commander’s kitchen before starting TILIT, their now-successful Manhattan-based business.”
This fall, Martin and Brennan introduced a fully expanded giftware line, dubbed the “Commander’s Collection.” Numbering more than 70 items, the collection ranges from the bar to the table and beyond.
“We’ve taken a deep dive on every item,” Martin said. “It has to fit us — with an air of eccentric, casual elegance joined by a New Orleans funky vibe.”
Commander’s classic banana leaf charger plates accompany a new dessert plate collection. European hand-blown champagne flutes are joined by wave coupe glassware and pewter-stemmed martinis. Cocktail shakers with strainers and stirring spoons round out the barware selection. Bar towels bearing mascot Tally’s image and hand-embroidered linen cocktail napkins round out the collection.
“Each depicts one of our favorite sayings,” Martin revealed. On one napkin a pair of toasting ladies agree, “There’s no place like New Orleans.” Another depicts a turtle suspended by balloons flying aloft with the proclamation, “Nowhere to go and all day to get there.”
Fine chef’s knives add to the kitchen line while the pantry also receives some new delicious offerings. A full selection of seasonings straight from Commander’s kitchen is joined by spiced and candied pecans and salted Bananas Foster caramels. Along with perennial favorites gumbo and turtle soup, a new lemon ice box pie has been added to the company’s Creole cream cheesecake and pecan pie, all shipped from Goldbelly.
New Orleans artist Tim Trapolin has designed everything from Commander’s menu covers to book illustrations since being Ella Brennan tapped him decades ago while he was teaching art at the private girl’s school, Louise S. McGehee School.
“All I have to do is tell Tim a story and it instantly becomes a beautiful illustration,” Martin said. Now his colorful, riotous artwork adorns everything from Commander’s blue-and-white striped umbrella interiors, French jacquard tea towels and a hand-rolled silk scarf, destined to become a sought-after ladies accessory.
“We discovered Commander’s means more to people than just a meal. It’s a celebratory thing, a feeling — just like New Orleans itself,” Martin said. “Not every city has that.”
Ti Martin, Lally Brennan and the entire team at Commander’s are hard at work conveying that elusive feeling to the world, and New Orleans lovers and Commander’s Palace fans everywhere are certain to vie for a share in the joyful exuberance.
Poppy Tooker has spent her life devoted to the cultural essence that food brings to Louisiana, a topic she explores weekly on her NPR-affiliated radio show, Louisiana Eats! From farmers markets to the homes and restaurants where our culinary traditions are revered and renewed, Poppy lends the voice of an insider to interested readers everywhere.
