Variety is the spice of life for Susan Spicer. A native of Key West, she is one of New Orleans most recognized and popular chefs, most notably for her classic restaurant, Bayona, housed in a 200-year-old French Quarter cottage. In 2010, she expanded with Mondo in the city’s Lakeview neighborhood, but has since closed in 2019. A spin off of the restaurant can be found in the new MSY airport. In 2016, Spicer opened Rosedale- a casual spot in Mid City serving Southern fare. Chef Susan has also served as the inspiration for a character in HBO’s Treme. She’s even played herself in the TV series NCIS: New Orleans.
But it’s her cuisine that’s the true celebrity. She has been named one of Food and Wine's 10 Best New Chefs and received the James Beard Award for Best Chef, Southeast Region. She has received the DiRoNa designation from Distinguished Restaurants of North America, the Robert Mondavi Culinary Award of Excellence, and Bayona was voted No. 1 in Gourmet Reader's Choice Poll of America's Top Tables, New Orleans.
More recently, Chef Susan was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who in Food & Beverage." She was also inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2012. Spicer wrote "Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans." The cookbook was nominated by the International Association of Culinary Professionals for "Best American Cookbook" and was also included in the "Best of the Best" in the top 25 cookbooks of the year.
Treat yourself. When it comes to good food, Spicer couldn’t be nicer.