Quick Bites: An Arnaud's Centennial Celebration

On February 29th, 1918, a French wine salesman named Arnaud Cazenave opened Arnaud’s Restaurant in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The extravagant, eccentric “Count”—as he dubbed himself—spent decades expanding the restaurant in size and scope, creating an institution specializing in French Creole cuisine. One hundred years later, the legendary restaurant remains an institution, with endless stories to tell.

On this Louisiana Eats Quick Bite, we sit down with the Casbarian family, for an intimate look at Arnaud’s amazing history. Archie Casbarian convinced Germaine Wells, the Count’s eccentric daughter to hand over the keys to Arnaud’s in 1978, beginning a grand new era of fine Creole dining rivaling the Count’s.

Sadly, Archie Casbarian passed away in 2009. His wife Jane and their two offspring, Katie and Archie, Jr. remember the indelible mark Archie made on the restaurant and tell family stories of their forty years at Arnaud’s.

Arnauds restaurant