Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table (2016)

In the heart of New Orleans, Ella Brennan reigns as the matriarch of a gastronomic empire seeped in rich Creole flavors, a dynasty dating back more than fifty years. The world recognizes her not just as the household name behind the celebrated establishment, Commander's Palace, but as the indomitable force that has revolutionized the city's food and drink landscape. Embark on an intimate journey into Ella's life, tracing back to her teenage years in the 1940s New Orleans. It was a time when the city's culinary industry was barely in its nascent stage, barely generating a million dollars annually. Yet, this is where Ella's story begins, her hands shaping what would eventually become a billion-dollar industry that has brought Creole wining and dining into the American mainstream, forever altering how the nation eats and drinks. Through a tapestry of interviews and verité footage with past and present chefs from Commander's Palace, restaurateurs, peers, family, and friends, "Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table" paints a vivid picture of Ella's extraordinary world. Despite her own confession of being a woman "who can't cook worth a lick," she has an unerring instinct for "how good food should taste," a talent that has made her an undeniable American icon. This engaging cinematic experience serves as an inspiring testament to Ella's unparalleled contribution to the culinary world, shining a spotlight on a legacy that has turned a city's infant industry into a global phenomenon. This is the untold story of a true culinary queen and the empire she built, one plate at a time.

Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table is a documentary movie directed by Leslie Iwerks.

It is possible to buy Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table on Apple TV.