AllMovie

Before the food business became show business, one woman led the way. Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table follows Brennan’s life steeped in the world of New Orleans dining. At age 18, Brennan went to work at her brother’s bar on Bourbon Street. The New Orleans dining scene had no idea what was about to hit it. The film tracks her work as a pioneer of the modern American food movement, and follows her years of collaboration with chefs like Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse to bring Creole and Cajun flavors into the national vocabulary. Brennan lead Commander’s Palace to be the only spot in the country to earn Zagat’s Most Popular Restaurant Award 18 years in a row. In 2009, Brennan was awarded with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the James Beard Foundation.