From High Waters to High Cuisine: The Resurgence of New Orleans Restaurants

When Hurricane Katrina roared through Lousiana, the flood waters rose in New Orleans, costing lives and livelihoods. Lost in the devastation were some of the city’s biggest tourist attractions and beloved restaurants. Four years after Katrina, we check in with a few of the city’s institutions: famed fried chicken purveyor Willie Mae’s Scotch House and classic New Orleans restaurant Commander’s Palace. Both were closed for months after the hurricane, but with hard work and perseverance their doors have re-opened. We talk to Kerry Seaton, granddaughter of Willie Mae, who now runs the Scotch House, and Tory McPhail, the chef at Commander’s Palace, about their experiences in rebuilding. We also have Tom Fitzmorris, a lifelong New Orleans resident and food critic who has made a new hobby of counting the restaurants in the Crescent City.