New Orleans Creole Cookery

A.J. Tusa and his staff warmly welcome you to The New Orleans Creole Cookery for an unforgettable Creole Cuisine Experience. Creole cuisine began with the European settlers, many of whom were French, who arrived in New Orleans in the 1690's. They were mostly aristocrats, often second sons, who took the opportunity to further their fortunes in the New World. These were the founders of today's Creole cuisine.The Native Indians soon introduced the settlers to new locally grown produce such as corn, ground sassafras leaves (or file power) and bay leaves and the all-important tomato was introduced from Central/South America.The Creoles enjoyed a relatively affluent and elegant lifestyle, part of which included having plenty of servants and workers. With the import of African slaves, a further ingredient of Creole cuisine was added. The Africans brought with them Okra seeds, the African name for which is Gumbo, which gave its name to the well-known soup.As many of these people worked in the kitchens, their own cooking traditions crept into the cuisine. Also, with the government of Louisiana switching from Spanish to French, these cooks soon learned the basics of both cuisines, but after a time the local unification of European, African and Native Indian cooking occurred. Creole cooking cuisine utilizes onions, green peppers, celery (The holy trinity), and garlic.The Tusa Family established its first restaurant, Messina's Oyster House in New Orleans in the year 1905. A.J. Tusa, as did his father and grandfather proudly continues the Tusa Family tradition of serving fine Creole cuisine in New Orleans and here in The Village of Baytowne Wharf.The Chef and his sous chefs were personally trained by A.J. Tusa in the art of fine Creole cooking with old world techniques.