According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up 51.2% of the hospitality labor force. One of the few sectors where women are the majority. In New Orleans’ hard-hitting gastronomic scene, women are shown to be the foundation of many of the city’s best restaurants, showcasing and elevating the classic Creole cuisine in their own style. In Honor of Women’s History Month, Womanly highlights four women making waves in New Orleans’ highly competitive culinary industry. If you’re looking for places to eat in New Orleans owned by women, look no further.
Melissa Araujo of Alma Cafe
Two-time James Beard: Best Chef South semifinalist (2024,2025), Chef Melissa Araujo is the culinary force bridging the flavors of her native Honduras and Louisiana with soul, purpose & passion. Her menu celebrates traditional Honduran flavors while embracing Louisiana’s rich bounty, showcasing local seafood, seasonal produce, and the state’s celebrated spices. Whether she's organizing fundraisers or cooking workshops for young aspiring chefs from immigrant communities, Araujo works hard to create a space where Honduran and Central American youth can feel seen and celebrated. At Alma, all of her back-of-house staff are Latin women.
Amarys Koenig Herndon of Palm&Pine
Chef Amarys Koenig Herndon, Chef/Co-owner of Palm&Pine is the culinary trailblazer redefining the flavors & techniques of “the South and south of that.” The James Beard: Best Chef South semifinalist’s celebrated restaurant in the French Quarter has become a beacon of New New Orleans cuisine, blending the culinary traditions of Louisiana, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America into dishes that are as bold as they are meaningful. Herndon’s menu pays homage to the rich and diverse communities that form the foundation of Southern food, while her philosophy emphasizes advancing these cultures through historical awareness and active community engagement.
Nina Compton of Compere Lapin & Bywater American Bistro
St. Lucian native and James Beard: Best Chef South winner (2018) Nina Compton is Chef/Owner of gastronomic gems Compère Lapin and BABs in New Orleans, along with her newest concept Nina’s Creole Cottage in Caesar’s New Orleans. In March 2025, the Chef will release her new book: Kweyol/Creole: Recipes, Stories and Tings from a St. Lucian Chef’s Journey. Since her flagship restaurant, Compère Lapin, opened in 2015, the restaurant has garnered critical acclaim for Compton’s one-of-a-kind Caribbean-inspired Louisiana cuisine.
Sister restaurant BABs (formerly Bywater American Bistro), has been touted as one of the city’s best restaurants and showcases house-made pastas and other ingredient-driven fare.
Amanda Toups, Toups Family Meal (TFM)
Amanda Toups is co-owner of the award-winning restaurant Toups Meatery and co-founder/President of 501c3 nonprofit Toups Family Meal (TFM). From providing weekly dinners and summer school lunches to a mobile pumpkin patch that delivered pumpkins and pizzas in advance of Halloween, what began as a small initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic has grown into a year-round vital resource for families in NOLA battling food insecurity. Amanda’s story of community impact and resilience has earned her recognition and multiple awards, including Les Dames d’Escoffier’s “Leading from the Heart”; Ella Brennan “Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality” & “Stand Up for Your Hometown”; and Biz New Orleans “Executives of the Year 2024.”
