Melissa Martin
Melissa M. Martin is a New Orleans chef and restaurant owner. She has written two books, Mosquito Supper Club and Bayou.
Early life
[edit]Martin grew up in Chauvin, Louisiana where she was one of six kids in her family.[1]
Career
[edit]In 2014 Martin started preparing food in pop up locations in Louisiana.[2] During this period Martin charged a flat fee and people came in to eat, listen to music, and interact with other diners.[3] In 2016 she opened a restaurant in New Orleans, the Mosquito Supper.[1] The restaurant that provides a tasting menu of home-style food,[2] which the The New York Times named as one of the best restaurants in New Orleans in 2023.[4]
In 2020 Martin changed how her restaurant served meals in response to limitations imposed by the city of New Orleans during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
In her writing Martin shares stories of food and cooking, recipes, and details on the challenges for the community that lives in coastal Louisiana.[3]
Selected publications
[edit]- Martin, Melissa; Culbert, Denny (2020). Mosquito Supper Club: cajun recipes from a disappearing Bayou. New York: Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing Co., Inc. ISBN 978-1-57965-847-2.[5]
- Martin, Melissa; Culbert, Denny (2024). Bayou: feasting through the seasons of a Cajun life. New York, NY: Artisan. ISBN 978-1-64829-140-1.[6]
Awards and honors
[edit]In 2022 and 2023 Martin was a semifinalist south region as best chef for the James Beard Foundation Award.[7] Her 2022 cookbook received the James Beard Award for best new cookbook the category of U.S. roadways.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Anderson, Brett (2022-02-01). "On the Cajun Coast, a Chef Grapples With Threats to a Seafood Tradition". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
- ^ a b "Homestyle tasting menu at Mosquito Supper Club". The Commercial Appeal. 2022-03-01. pp. B7. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
- ^ a b c Sarkisova, Dayana (December 17, 2020). "As customers and coastlines disappear, a New Orleans chef fights for her community". The Washington Post – via Proquest.
- ^ Anderson, Brett (2025-01-14). "The 25 Best Restaurants in New Orleans Right Now". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
- ^ Reviews of Mosquito Supper Club
- Price, Todd A. (2021-11-10). "Prize-winning 'Mosquito Supper Club' cookbook honors a Cajun village in peril". The Town Talk. pp. A1. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
- Maloney, Ann (2020-12-16). "Something for everyone". The Daily Chronicle. pp. b1. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
- Addison, Bill (April 30, 2020). "12 cookbooks that refresh the spirit and inspire in the kitchen". Los Angeles Times – via Proquest.
- ^ Reviews of Bayou
- Brehaut, Laura (2024-12-11). "Christmas on the bayou". The Windsor Star. pp. N4. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
- Knoblauch, Mark (August 2024). "Bayou: Feasting through the Seasons of a Cajun Life". The Booklist ; Chicago. 22 (120): 13 – via Proquest.
- ^ Price, Todd (2023-01-27). "James Beard Awards semifinalists announced". The Montgomery Advertiser. pp. [1], [2]. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
- ^ "Beard Awards recognize cookbooks: The media awards were among the highlights of a celebratory weekend". Star Tribune ; Minneapolis, Minn. 23 June 2022. pp. T.4. – via Proquest.