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

Martin grew up in Chauvin, Louisiana where she was one of six kids in her family. ^[1]

Career

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 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

• 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

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

1. 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.
2. "Homestyle tasting menu at Mosquito Supper Club". The Commercial Appeal. 2022-03-01. pp. B7. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
3. Sarkisova, Dayana (December 17, 2020). "As customers and coastlines disappear, a New Orleans chef fights for her community". The Washington Post– via Proquest.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Price, Todd (2023-01-27). "James Beard Awards semifinalists announced". The Montgomery Advertiser. pp.  , . Retrieved 2025-01-15.
8. "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.