Each year, a highly skilled team of editors and reporters over at Food & Wine Magazine, a nationally-acclaimed publication, take it upon themselves to scour the country looking for the most talented and inspiring chefs to be recognized in their annual “Best New Chefs” list. We are proud to announce that this year, one of the Best Chef nominees is one right here in the Big Easy. This year, Nina Compton, chef/co-owner at Compère Lapin, has earned her spot as a nominee on Food & Wine’s “Best Chefs 2017” list.
The famous restaurant in the heart of the Warehouse district is named after a set of Caribbean and Creole folktales featuring the adventures of a bunny named Compère Lapin, the French term for “Brother Rabbit.” At Compère Lapin, Chef Nina brings her raw talent to the table with dishes inspired by her Saint Lucian heritage as she disentangles the web of French, Southern, and Creole cooking that is so embedded in Louisiana.
Influenced by the folktales Compton read as a child, she artfully combines the natural flavors and culinary heritage of Louisiana cooking with those of her Caribbean background to create the mouth-watering dishes that make you take a second look at your plate and fall in love all over again with the food you thought you knew.
With a delectable and varied array of options, Compère Lapin’s menu features dishes like Marinated Shrimp with Roasted Jalapeno Jus and Curried Goat with Sweet Potato Gnocchi for lunch and the Caribbean Seafood Pepper Pot for dinner. Whatever you order, it’s sure to knock your socks off and leave you wanting more. If you haven’t yet been to Compère Lapin, take a trip downtown and get a taste of one of Food & Wine’s Best Chefs.
