(Restaurant News Release) K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, an iconic New Orleans restaurant that helped to cement the reputation of New Orleans as a leader in the culinary arts, will not reopen following the restaurant’s closure in May.
A statement released by the restaurant said that “With gratitude for many happy and successful years, the management team of K-Paul’s is regretfully announcing permanent closure of K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen.”
Established in 1979 by Chef Paul Prudhomme and his wife Kay Hinrichs Prudhomme, K-Paul’s began life as a modest 62-seat restaurant on Chartres Street in the French Quarter. It would become a national sensation, growing to a capacity of over 200 with nightly lines of enthusiastic diners from around the world.
Brenda Prudhomme, Chef Paul’s niece and Paul Miller, her husband and the restaurant’s executive chef, worked side by side with the world-famous chef for many years and assumed the reins of the restaurant after the chef’s passing on October 8, 2015.
“We learned from the best and will always be grateful for the vision and passion of Chef Paul and Kay,” Brenda Prudhomme said.
The difficult decision to shut down the restaurant came after repeated closings this year due to mandated business restrictions. Most recently K-Paul’s has been closed since May, precipitating the couple’s tough call to turn the last page on the renowned dining spot.
“We have been blessed and honored to serve our customers who have become family through shared stories, breaking bread with jalapeno cheddar yeast rolls and raised martini glasses,” said Prudhomme. “We will also treasure the memories of all of our amazing staff members over the years, knowing that they will carry a piece of K-Paul’s with them for the rest of their careers.”
Originally constructed in 1864, the building that housed K-Paul’s was extensively refurbished in 1996, based on the designs of the original structure. The renovation expanded seating to its current capacity of over 200 guests. Rich Stone, CCIM, of New Orleans-based NAI Latter & Blum has been engaged to market the iconic building for sale.
The K-Paul’s name will not be a part of any sale, as closure plans include retirement of the K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen name. Chef Paul’s Magic Seasoning Blends, which produces its spice brand and custom blends for clients, is a separate entity and will continue operations from its headquarters in Elmwood, Louisiana, a nearby suburb of New Orleans.
After forty years at K-Paul’s, Prudhomme and Miller acknowledge that the closure of the restaurant will be difficult. But Brenda Prudhomme said the couple “will look to the future and forever embrace Chef Paul’s ‘Good Cooking, Good Eating and Good Loving’ approach to life.”
For more information on the building and its possible future, please contact Rich Stone, CCIM at 504-569-9319 (rstone@latterblum.com).
For more information regarding the K-Paul’s closure:
Don Cooper
Don Cooper and Associates
504-339-3899
don@doncooper.net
For more information regarding the K-Paul’s real estate:
Rich Stone, CCIM
NAI Later & Blum
504-569-9319
rstone@latterblum.com