Six months into working in the kitchen at J. Alexander’s at age 21, Le Creole executive chef Ryan Andre had the word “chef” tattooed on his arm. “I loved the adrenaline of being on the line and I knew it was what I wanted to do,” recalls Andre. His passion led to cooking school at the Louisiana Culinary Institute (LCI) and to posts at Commander’s Palace, Stroube’s, Capital City Grill, and to Le Creole today, where Andre composes up-tempo interpretations of Southern and Creole classics, fresh Gulf fish and game. He will be named a 2012 Chef to Watch by Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine later this year.
The top-ranked student in his LCI class, Andre was recruited by Chef Tory McPhail to apprentice at Commander’s Palace. Two other students were chosen as well, but Andre was the only one to survive the stalwart restaurant’s grueling routine and pressure-cooker vibe. “It’s an intense kitchen – they demand perfection and if you can’t cut it, you’re out,” he says. After graduation, he remained at Commander’s and was assigned an enviable spot at the broiling station where timing and precision are high art. Andre was still living in Baton Rouge, so he left Commander’s for closer gigs at Mandina’s on Old Hammond Highway, the Broken Egg Café and the Little Village. Later, he helped fellow LCI classmate Chef Justin Ferguson open Stroube’s downtown to high acclaim for its reimagined steakhouse menu, and eventually became executive chef at the Capital City Grill. New Orleans beckoned again, however, and Andre returned to Commander’s.
Two years ago, Little Village owner Wayne Stabiler was looking for a chef to run his latest concept, Le Creole, and reached out to Andre. The upscale casual Creole restaurant features what Andre calls “a mixture of French, Italian and Southern camp-style food presented as fine dining.” He and Chef Dondy McNulty created the menu.
