It’s hard to dine in New Orleans and not have it be at a Chef Donald Link restaurant.
Starting in 2000 with the acclaimed Herbsaint restaurant, Link has expanded the Link Restaurant Group with Chef Stephen Stryjewski: Cochon, Cochon Butcher, Pêche (with Chef Ryan Prewitt), Calcasieu (private dining), La Boulangerie (with Chef Maggie Scales), Gianna and Chemin à la Mer. Stryjewski and Link founded the Link Stryjewski Foundation in 2015 to support nonprofits geared to helping children.
On Jan. 25, Link was honored with the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE) 2024 Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement In Hospitality Award. The award is given to a person who has made a lifetime commitment to the hospitality industry “through extraordinary leadership, personal and professional accomplishments, and philanthropic contributions to the community.” Previous award winners included Chef Leah Chase, philanthropist Bill Goldring, and philanthropist and Chef Emeril Lagasse.
“Honoring Chef Donald Link for the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award was an easy choice,” said Aimee Brown, NOWFE executive director. “Chef Link has served as a longstanding steward of our culinary heritage and culture, and his mentorship of young chefs ensures a strong future for hospitality professionals.”
Fun Fact: The Four Seasons New Orleans, where the celebration was held, is the home to Link’s Chemin à La Mer.
