Susan Spicer began her cooking career in New Orleans as an apprentice to Chef Daniel Bonnot at the Louis XVI Restaurant in 1979. After a 4-month "stage" with Chef Roland Durand (Meilleur at the Louis XVI) at the Hotel Sofitel in Paris in 1982, she returned to New Orleans to open the 60-seat bistro Savoir Faire in the St. Charles Hotel as Chef de Cuisine. In 1985, she traveled extensively in California and Europe for 6 months, then returned to work in the kitchen at the New Orleans Meridien Hotel’s Henri (consulting chef, Marc Haeberlin of l’Auberge de I’ll). In 1986, Chef Spicer departed to open the tiny Bistro at Maison de Ville in the Hotel Maison de Ville. After nearly four years as Executive Chef at the Bistro, Susan formed a partnership with Regina Keever in the spring of 1990 to open Bayona in a beautiful, 200-year-old cottage in the French Quarter. With solid support from local diners and critics, Bayona soon earned national attention and has been featured in numerous publications such as Food and Wine, Gourmet, Food Arts, Travel & Leisure, Bon Appétit, and The New York Times. In 1996, Bayona was featured as one of Restaurant and Institutions, “Ivy Award” winners, and then in 1998 was named to Nation’s Restaurant News, “Fine Dining Hall of Fame.” Additionally, Bayona received the highest rating of "5 Beans" from the New Orleans’ Times-Picayune Newspaper. For the last three years, Bayona has constantly been included in the “Top 5 Restaurants in New Orleans” in the Gourmet Magazine readers’ poll.
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| From 1997 through 1999, Susan owned and operated Spice Inc., a specialty food market with take-out food, cooking classes and an artisan bakery. This venture developed into Wild Flour Breads, which she currently co-owns with partner Sandy Whann. In October of 2000, Susan and three partners opened Herbsaint, a casual contemporary bistro-style restaurant in the Warehouse District of New Orleans. Herbsaint has quickly become a hot spot with the locals for dining and socializing. Susan has recently joined forces with the Kimpton Restaurant and Hotel Group and Hotel Monaco to bring Cobalt to the Central Business District of New Orleans. Chef Spicer has been the guest chef at the James Beard House, The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, the Lanesborough in London, and on board the Cunard and Crystal Cruise Lines, as well as appearing on local and national television. She also contributes her talents to numerous charity events, such as co-chairing the New Orleans chapter of Share Our Strength’s annual, “Taste of the Nation” for nearly a decade and representing New Orleans at the Super Bowl hunger-relief fundraiser, “Taste of the NFL” for the past 10 years In May 1993, Susan was the recipient of the James Beard Award for “Best Chef, Southeast Region.” In 1995, she was chosen for the Mondavi “Culinary Excellence Award.” In March 2001, Susan was the featured chef at a dinner in Paris for Les Amies des Vieilles Maisons, which was held in the historic Senate Building. | < Return to Culinary listings |
