One of the French Quarter's grand old dining rooms has changed hands, and plenty of regulars did not even notice. Broussard's, the 1920-era landmark on Conti Street, now belongs to chef Brian Landry and hospitality executive Emery Whalen, the partners behind QED Hospitality. The new bosses say the dining room will stay open through the transition, and the entire staff moved over with the sale and is set to join QED's payroll.
Sale details and staff transfer
As reported by NOLA.com, the deal shifts Broussard's from Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts to Landry and Whalen and includes the restaurant's staff in the package. Creole Cuisine, which bought Broussard's in 2013, put roughly $1 million into renovations after that acquisition, according to the report. Company statements cited in the coverage say Broussard's will remain open under the new operators, with no immediate plans for major changes.
Who are the new owners?
Landry and Whalen co-founded QED Hospitality, a management group that runs hotel restaurants and bars in New Orleans and other markets, according to QED Hospitality. QED lists several spots inside the Pontchartrain Hotel, including Jack Rose, the Bayou Bar, Hot Tin and the Silver Whistle, which highlights the partners' track record with historically rooted properties. Their public profiles present them as operators who lean toward careful stewardship rather than sweeping reinvention.
Seller's perspective
"Passing Broussard's to Landry and Whalen was important to preserve culinary history," Marv Ammari said in comments to NOLA.com. Creole Cuisine's own website shows a wide portfolio of New Orleans restaurants, a lineup that included Broussard's for roughly 13 years before the sale. Company representatives framed the move as a way to keep the Quarter's dining landscape steady, not as a signal of a dramatic shake up.
A century of Creole dining
Broussard's operates in the former Borrello family mansion at 819 Conti Street and traces its start back to 1920, a long run that has made it a go to for private events and jazz brunches, according to the restaurant's history page. The courtyard and its ornate dining rooms have helped anchor what locals often call the Quarter's institutional dining scene. With that kind of pedigree, even a low profile ownership transfer is going to draw more than the usual restaurant sale curiosity.
What comes next
For now, QED says it intends to keep the operation steady while it settles into ownership, with no immediate and significant changes planned for Broussard's service or menu. The group's background running hotel focused dining rooms points to a cautious approach that aims to protect the pieces regulars already value, according to QED Hospitality. Locals and longtime fans will likely keep an eye on reservations, the courtyard events calendar and menu tweaks for the first clear hints of how this new chapter at Broussard's will unfold.
