Change doesn't come too often in the kitchen at Antoine's, the city's oldest restaurant, but it's happening these days.
The family-owned and operated French Creole landmark on St. Louis Street in the French Quarter, is welcoming a new executive chef. Rich Lee is leading the kitchen staff at the 178-year-old French Quarter restaurant.
He steps into the role held by Chef Mike Regua, who has worked at Antoine's for 47 years including decades as executive chef. Regua will stay on with Lee in the Antoine's kitchen until later this year, to help with the transition.
Lee knows that at Antoine's, the creator of Oysters Rockefeller and guardian of so many other culinary traditions, he'll have to preserve a delicious legacy.
"But with Rich, we'll also get to do some stuff that's new and bright and different and interesting and so we'll fight with balancing that tightrope for a while but it's going to be a wonderful journey," said Rick Blount, the fifth generation proprietor and CEO of Antoine's.
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Lee began his career in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed in Panama City, Florida. After his time in the service and developing an interest in food and cooking, Lee served as line cook and kitchen manager in the Panama City hospitality industry. He later served as an executive steward for the U.S. Merchant Marines, sailing around the globe as the solo cook aboard his ship.
He rose to the rank of executive chef over the next decade in several fine dining restaurants, hotels and resorts in the Florida Panhandle. He then worked in management positions at high‐volume corporate restaurants in the Carolina markets.
For the past seven years, he has worked in New Orleans, first as a chef and trainer for Sodexo’s corporate division, then as executive chef for Sodexo’s Energy and Resource division and senior manager of culinary development.
His work with Sodexo should help prepare him for the high volume of service often found at Antoine's, which has been known to host thousands of guests on one night during Christmas, Mardi Gras and many private parties.
"It's very exciting," Lee said. "There's an energy, a buzz that happens when everything starts flowing. What really challenges me the most, but excites me the most, is being able to take a step back when the big machine is turning and step back and watch it all happen and be able to know that all the pieces are in place and you've surrounded yourself with great people, the people who have been here for a long, long time and enjoy that energy,."