Tory Mcphail

As executive chef at the famed Commander's Palace restaurant, 30-year-old Tory McPhail has big clogs to fill, following in the footsteps of household names like Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse and Jamie Shannon. There is no doubt the Brennan's have an eye for spotting the country's top culinary talents, and with McPhail — a James Beard Rising Star Chef Nominee during his first year at the helm — they have done it again. He is proud to take his place as the latest of the great chefs to assume leadership of the Commander's kitchen as he guides the restaurant in it culinary mission: the evolution of haute Creole cuisine.

Growing up in Ferndale, Washington, McPhail's childhood centered on the kitchen and the land. He tended ducks, chickens, rabbits and geese as well as gardens of carrots, potatoes and rosemary. At age 17 Tory told his high school counselor that he was destined to be a chef. With a strong work ethic, a love of food and one restaurant job already under his belt, he went directly to the ACF-accredited cooking school at Seattle Community College.

Upon graduation, school counselors recommended that McPhail go to New York City or New Orleans; ultimately, it was the pull of Mardi Gras that swayed his decision. Once he arrived in New Orleans in 1993, he was hired by Executive Chef Jamie Shannon of Commander's Palace. A quick study, Tory started as garde manger and moved through all 12 stations in the kitchen in two years. In 1995, he was named Sous Chef at Palace Café, then a part of the Commander's Palace Family of Restaurants.

Two years later, McPhail opted to broaden his culinary knowledge and experience. His first move was to Palm Beach, Florida to work at The Breakers, where he was quickly promoted to Chef. Then, seeking European cooking experience, he traveled to London to work in the Michelin Two-Star Picasso Room and its sister restaurant, L'Escargot. McPhail left Britain in late 1999 for a chef stint in the Virgin Islands, cooking Caribbean-Creole at Mongoose Restaurant before rejoining the Commander's family in late spring of 2000 as a key figure in the opening team of Commander's Palace in Las Vegas.

In November of 2001, McPhail returned to the kitchen in New Orleans where his mentor, the late Jamie Shannon, taught him what it takes to "command" a culinary staff of 50 in one of American's most prestigious restaurants.

Today, McPhail is not only making his mark in the kitchen, but also on the small screen, hosting Turner South's original weekly series, "Off the Menu" which bring together two worlds close to every Southerner's heart — the great outdoors and the kitchen. In addition to numerous appearances on New Orleans local programs, Chef Tory has also been seen on Sara's Secrets, My Country My Kitchen, Into the Fire and Bobby Flay's Food Nation, all on the Food Network.

A dedicated proponent of local farmers and fishermen with fresh, seasonal products, McPhail insists that his dishes represent New Orleans to the fullest. To that end, roughly 90% of his ingredients come from within 100 miles of Commander's Palace. Constantly demonstrating innovation and creativity, McPhail celebrates the rich gastronomic heritage of Commander's Palace and continues to evolve New Orleans cuisine into the forefront of American's culinary scene.

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