Culinary Couples

Valentines Day Candies

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and we’re in the mood for love on this week’s episode! In this hour, we meet two culinary couples who are making a mark on the New Orleans restaurant scene. 

We begin with Chef Susan Spicer and Chip Martinson. Back in 1998, The New York Times named Susan the “Quiet Star of New Orleans.” Over twenty years later, Susan remains one of the city’s most celebrated culinary figures, showcasing her talents at the helm of such restaurants as Bayona, Mondo, and Rosedale. We sit down with Susan to hear her reflections on a career of accomplishments.

Although Susan’s husband, Chip Martinson, pledged long ago to leave the restaurant industry,  it was in a restaurant that he found his true calling. What started with building some tables for Susan’s Lakeview restaurant, Mondo, sprung into a full-fledged furniture business, facetiously named Monkey-Wid-A-Fez. 

Then, we meet another chef couple—Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing. The two chefs were not expecting to find love over 16 years ago in the kitchen at Gerard’s, but there was an instant attraction and love found a way as their culinary careers evolved.