2021 Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 67 BY SENATOR TALBOT A RESOLUTION To commend and congratulate Frank Brigtsen, co-owner and chef of Brigtsen's Restaurant for more than thirty years of culinary excellence and for his contributions to the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. WHEREAS, Frank Brigtsen is at the forefront of a new generation of New Orleans chefs who are revitalizing Creole/Acadian cooking as the co-owner with his wife, Marna, and chef of Brigtsen's Restaurant, one of the best traditional New Orleans restaurants; and WHEREAS, he began his culinary career in 1973 while attending Louisiana State University and, in 1979, he apprenticed at Commander's Palace Restaurant under the guidance of Chef Paul Prudhomme; and WHEREAS, Frank Brigtsen became the first night chef at K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen when the restaurant began dinner service in 1980, and during his seven-year tenure with Chef Prudhomme at K-Paul's, Frank attained the position of executive chef; and WHEREAS, Chef Paul and his wife Kay Prudhomme were instrumental in helping Frank and Marna open Brigtsen's Restaurant in 1986; and WHEREAS, Frank utilizes his native New Orleans palate and inventive personal touch to create dishes that pay tribute to the traditions of Louisiana cuisine and his interpretation of Creole/Acadian food has been described as a "reaffirmation that Louisiana cooking is America's most durable and satisfying"; and WHEREAS, in 1988, Food & Wine named Frank "One of America's Top Ten New Chefs"; in 1994, Frank was chosen "Chef of the Year" in New Orleans Magazine's annual poll of local chefs and restaurateurs; he received the James Beard Award for "American Express Best Chef: Southeast" in 1998; and WHEREAS, Brigtsen's Restaurant has received a "Five-Bean" (Superior) rating and a 94/100 rating, and was voted "Top Cajun Restaurant" in the 2000 Zagat survey; and Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 67 ENROLLED WHEREAS, Frank Brigtsen gives a tremendous amount of time and energy back to the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana by supporting numerous charitable endeavors; and WHEREAS, Chef Brigtsen is a strong believer in culinary education and shares his passion for Creole and Acadian cuisines through his roles as adjunct professor at The John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University and Chef-in-Residence at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA), and is a member of the American Culinary Federation; and WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities, and the overall vitality of American society depend, in great measure, upon the dedication of people like Frank Brigtsen who use their considerable talents and Louisiana's rich resources to promote tourism and increase economic growth for future generations. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend and congratulate Frank Brigtsen, co-owner and chef of Brigtsen's Restaurant, on his numerous contributions, extraordinary accomplishments, and efforts to inspire others through his uniquely southern cuisine while promoting the diverse heritage and culture that Louisiana and its citizens have to offer the rest of the world. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Frank Brigtsen. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE Page 2 of 2