Susan Spicer facts for kids

Susan Spicer is a famous chef from New Orleans. She owns several popular restaurants in the city. She also has a take-out food market that is also a bakery. Susan Spicer has won many awards for her cooking. She even appeared on the TV show Top Chef as a guest judge in 2009.

In 1990, she teamed up with Regina Keever. Together, they opened a highly-rated restaurant called Bayona.

Susan Spicer's Culinary Journey

Susan Spicer began her cooking career in the 1970s. She learned from Chef Daniel Bonnot at the Louis XVI Restaurant. To learn more, she traveled to Paris, France, for four months. There, she worked with Chef Roland Durand.

After her travels, she returned to New Orleans. She opened her first restaurant, a 60-seat bistro called "Savior Faire." This bistro was located in the St. Charles Hotel. In 1985, she spent six months traveling again. She visited places in California and Europe to gain more experience.

Opening Famous Restaurants

In 1986, Susan Spicer opened "Bistro at Maison de Ville." It was located inside the Hotel Maison de Ville. Four years later, in 1990, she partnered with Regina Keever. They opened Bayona in a very old cottage in the French Quarter. Bayona quickly became a very well-known restaurant. It was featured in many magazines and newspapers.

From 1997 to 1999, Spicer also owned Spice, Inc. This business offered take-out food, baked goods, and cooking classes. Later, it became "Wild Flour Breads," which she co-owns with Sandy Whann. In October 2000, Spicer and three friends opened a casual restaurant. They named it Herbsaint.

Television and Community Work

Susan Spicer has been on many TV shows. These include the popular national show Top Chef on Bravo. She also helps out with important charity events. She supports "Taste of the Nation" by Share Our Strength. She also helps "Taste of the NFL," which raises money to fight hunger.

In June 2010, she opened a restaurant called Mondo. It is in the Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans. This area is special to her because she has lived there for 20 years. In October 2016, she opened another restaurant, Rosedale. It is located near City Park.

Awards and Recognition

Susan Spicer has received many important awards for her cooking. In May 1993, she won the prestigious James Beard Award. In 1995, she also received the Mondavi Culinary Excellence Award.

Her restaurant, Bayona, has also won awards. It received the Ivy Award. In 1998, it was added to the Nations Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame. The New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper gave Bayona "Five Beans." This is their highest possible rating. In 2010, Susan Spicer was honored by the James Beard Foundation. She was included in their Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.

Susan Spicer on Television

Susan Spicer appeared on Top Chef during the show's finale in 2009. She also inspired a character on the HBO TV series Treme. This show was about New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The character, Janette Desautel, owned a fictional restaurant. In one episode of Treme, Susan Spicer is even mentioned as a friend of Janette Desautel. In 2016, Susan Spicer appeared as herself on an episode of NCIS: New Orleans.

Her Cookbook

Susan Spicer wrote a cookbook called Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans. This book was nominated for Best American Cookbook. It was recognized by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. New Orleans Magazine also named it the Best New Cookbook. Her book was chosen as one of the top 25 cookbooks of the year.