Melvin Rodrigue

In 1997, at the age of twenty-four, Melvin Rodrigue was hired as the general manager and chief operating officer of Galatoire’s Restaurant. Since then, the restaurant has received numerous honors, including the James Beard Foundation’s S. Pellegrino Award for the most outstanding restaurant in the country and the Distinguished Restaurants of North America Award. Galatoire’s has been favorably recognized by hundreds of publications, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, and Gourmet, which named Galatoire’s one of the top twenty-five restaurants in America (and number one in New Orleans).