The Katrina That Won't Go Away...

To my way of thinking, New Orleans represented the true essence of a great restaurant town. There was something so real about it, and it seemed everyone was on the same page. It was all about restaurants and hospitality and it worked. People came here to have a good time and it was almost impossible not to enjoy yourself. There was passion splashed all over this place and in my experience, the service was the most genuine and friendly of any city I have ever visited. For some reason, I find myself talking in the past tense.

The storm was devastating beyond anything we could have imagined. In terms of the restaurant business, we lost something that may never be replaced. It would be a wonderful story if all the chefs and owners would vow to return and do whatever was necessary to restore the greatness of New Orleans. People would come back in droves and in short order; it would be business as usual in the Big Easy.

Unfortunately, there is a force out there known as the "real world" and restaurant owners understand and respect the concept of survival. Take away the visitor market, and take away so many of the workers that made these restaurants happen, and add the challenge of rebuilding in a political atmosphere ill-equipped to effectively deal with this kind of situation.

There are many chefs who will fight to the bitter end, and it seems they are the real heroes in the challenge to save this city, but the real world takes hold and the formulas for success often fail to materialize. Many make the choice to abandon ship and start all over again in another market, and who can really blame them.

One of those chefs who originally decided to stay was René Bajeaux (La Côte and René Bistrot). This talented French Master chef escaped through flooded streets that had been beseiged by looters. His house had been trashed and during the worst days he carried a gun for protection that was given to him by a policeman. The chaos notwithstanding, the chef was in for the long battle.

Most recently, the "long battle" tangled with the "real world". The good chef and his family made the decision to leave..."I came back because of the people, and I'm cooking the best food of my life," he said. "But I'm leaving. I don't know where. But I give up. All the racism here -- the blaming on both sides -- is destroying my heart. So I'm letting my friends down. I'm leaving this city like a quitter. And I hate that, but I'm burned out".

Others will stay, and as Chef Susan Spicer of Bayona and Herbsaint said..."Nothing can kill the music or the food". I hope she is right and I sincerely hope that New Orleans will find a way to make it all the way back.

René Bajeaux said it most appropriately..."When I leave this city, I'm going to cry like a son of a bitch."

It's sad, but certainly understandable.

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