From his earliest memories, Tom Wolfe recalls a childhood filled with food, and a passion for preparing it and serving it to others. He grew up in a large family with five brothers and sisters. Wolfe knew that he wanted to funnel his years of cooking in a casual setting into a career in the culinary profession. He began by starting a catering business, which taught him the basic principles of owning a business in the food industry, then by enrolling in Delgado University’s Culinary Arts program.

After he fine tuned his culinary abilities, Wolfe worked for New Orleans’ esteemed family of restaurateurs, the Brennan family, at their popular French Quarter restaurant, Mr. B’s Bistro. The menu at Mr. B’s was comprised of gumbos, jambalaya, barbecued shrimp and other wonderful local dishes. This environment of preparing Louisiana foods only fostered his love for the local cuisine.

From Mr. B’s, Chef Wolfe went on to work at one of the most highly acclaimed restaurants in the country, Emeril’s, shortly after it opened. He worked and mastered all positions, both AM and PM, including Pastries, Saucier and Butcher stations eventually ascending to hold the position of Sous Chef of Emeril’s flagship restaurant. Chef Wolfe worked alongside Emeril to develop dishes and menus and was often selected to assist him at nationally recognized culinary events, such as The Dinner of the Decade and James Beard Dinners. At Thanksgiving, it was Chef Wolfe who appeared on Good Morning America with Emeril to demonstrate the preparation of a Cajun fried turkey, which is a traditional New Orleans holiday meal.

Wolfe and his wife Tracy opened Wolfe’s of New Orleans in May of 2000 in an intimate New Orleans cottage. Wolfe would draw upon traditional dishes and expand on them, creating the perfect combination of complex flavors. Favorite dishes included the Duck, which was slow roasted after being cured in Steen’s Cane Syrup brine and served with Calvados glazed Brabant sweet potatoes, seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, sautéed spinach, Duck crackling crusted goat cheese cake, and a kiln dried cherry reduction. Wolfe’s innovative culinary artistry carried through to his dessert menu.

On August 29th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina ripped through the city, severely damaging Wolfe’s of New Orleans. Wolfe looks forward to reopening his flagship restaurant and opened Peristyle Restaurant. The same year, Chef Wolfe embarked on yet another culinary adventure. Marriott International sought out Wolfe to implement his concept of a great restaurant. They knew he would be the right Chef for the task. In July of 2005, Chef Wolfe’s design concept as well as his own menu creation was born when Wolfe’s in the Warehouse opened.