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Cafe Reconcile is excited to be under new leadership! Glen Armantrout has been named Interim Executive Director.

Glen was born in New Orleans and worked his way through school at LSU. A firm believer in the idea that a person and a business must be a part of the community in which they live and represent, Glen recognizes and attributes some of his success to the long underlying culture of this city.

An incredibly successful entrepreneur and businessperson, Glen has always been involved in the restaurant industry. He led the evolution and expansion of Acme Oyster House, he has been a dedicated Board Director of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and he serves as Legislative Chairman and Education Foundation Chairman. He is the Director of Operations for Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts as well as the President and CEO of RGA Concepts, a restaurant consulting firm.

Glen is no stranger to Reconcile, either. He has been a member of both the Board and the Advisory Board. He has sought out resources from across the industry as well as leveraging personal and business relationships to develop the program for our students. He was instrumental in creating the “Culinary Nights” fundraising events and in fundraising efforts for the Capital Campaign.

Glen’s involvement has earned him numerous awards and accolades but he takes most enjoyment from the service and smiles of those charities and people who directly benefit from his community dedication. We are very excited to have him on board here at Reconcile and we look forward to his uniquely qualified and proactive leadership!

If you’ve stopped by the Café recently, you may have noticed a slight change in the some of the uniforms. Several of our students (and chefs!) are donning baseball caps from the Louisiana Seafood Board’s Gulf Coast Seafood and Tourism Bash, sponsored by BP, instead of their regular Reconcile hats.

Café Reconcile has greatly benefited from the two-week bash meant to promote Gulf seafood and tourism in a variety of ways. The organization donated enough local tuna for a tuna special every day for a week, it gave our students the opportunity to promote local seafood at the BCS Championship game, supplied them with hats and t-shirts, and donated two Hornets tickets for two lucky students.  In addition, BP expressed its gratitude to our students by making a generous contribution to the “tip jar” in the cafe.  These funds will be shared by students currently enrolled in the program.

New Orleans is undoubtedly one of the best places in the nation to enjoy fresh, local seafood and we are excited to have been a part of the effort to promote our region’s fabulous resources. Remember to support your local economy today!

Soyini, Chef Joe, and Davenique show off their hats

Calvin smiles for the camera!

Students are thrilled with their generous tip!

Victoria brightens up the Cafe with her smile

The Hornets are back on the court and some Café Reconcile students will have the opportunity to see them play thanks to Senator Mary Landrieu! Today, LaVerne Saulny and other staff from the senator’s office stopped by the café to grab a bite to eat and to leave the program with a fantastic gift: two tickets to every Hornets game this season.

While we teach our students the necessity of a strong work ethic and a professional attitude, it is also important to offer them the opportunity to experience fun in our unique city. Senator Landrieu’s generous donation will help us do just that. GO HORNETS!

Alice Wright, Board Chair, accepts the box of tickets from LaVerne Saulny

Thanks, Senator Landrieu!

Let's go Hornets!

Learn how to make this delicious Seafood Cornbread courtesy of Holly Clegg.  Makes 28 squares.

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Cynthia Green met Carl Crawford at the Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Panama City Beach, Florida and immediately fell in love with his unique style of artwork. Known as “Collage Illusion,” his pieces are created by cutting colors of magazine paper and gluing the pieces to glass.  The resulting effect is that his pieces look remarkably like paintings even though they are not. But art was not the only passion the two shared, they soon learned that they both also loved giving back to their communities.

So when Cynthia and her husband James hosted an event to introduce others to Carl’s unique method of creating beautiful one-of-a kind original artwork, Carl decided to give a portion of his sales from this event to the Greens’ favorite charity: Cafe Reconcile.

The event, attended by our own Chef Joe and Hiram Nurse, featured a wonderful jazz band that played quietly while Carl proceeded to talk about himself, his method of creating art, and his decision to give a percentage of his sales to assist Cafe Reconcile.  Cynthia hopes this will not be the last time she showcases Carl’s work while simultaneously raising money for our mission (and so do we!)

Perhaps even more special, Carl also generously donated one of his favorite pieces, “All that Jazz.”  Hanging by the stairs in the Cafe, the piece adds a beautiful, vibrant energy to our restaurant.  Come in and see the unique art today!

All That Jazz- Sax

What better way to end the John Besh  “Eat Well, Do Good” Dinner series than with the man himself?  On Tuesday night, Chef John Besh and his team from Restaurant August delivered a sweet finish (both literally and figuratively!) to a phenomenal series.

By the time the guests began to arrive at Reconile, Besh’s fantastic team had already been hard at work prepping for the evening.  The lights on the Christmas tree twinkled and the champagne cocktails flowed as graduates of the Reconcile program offered dozens of trays of hors d’oeuvres to the guests.

As the crowd finally began to take their seats, Sr. Mary Lou offered a prayer of thanksgiving and Chef Besh spoke to the importance of sharing your gifts with others.  His gift, as we all know, is that of cooking delicious food that makes people happy and he certainly shared that!

The first course of the evening was country style duck and chicken liver pate served atop crispy grilled French bread.  As soon as the dish was out, Besh’s team worked with mechanical precision to plate the potato latkes with fall fruit compote that was served the moment our Reconcile grads cleared the first plates.

The third course, a creamy lentil soup, warmed up the guests and was a perfect predecessor to the main dish of the night: herb roast goose with house-made potato dumpling, braised red cabbage with apples and onions.  Beautifully tenderized after 24 hours of roasting, the goose practically melted off the fork and was matched perfectly with the braised vegetables.  Full and content, the guests  still managed to find some stomach space to make room for the sweet finish to the evening: a Spielweg chocolate torte.  Paired with a homemade sorbet and topped with edible gold leafing, the dessert was a rich, beautiful, and decadent close to a lovely evening and a wonderful series.

Though the food seemed to steal the show, the students were the real stars of the evening.  Seven graduates were in the cafe well before the guests arrived and they remained long after they were gone.  Prepping and decorating, serving and cleaning: they did it all.  Of course, they were met with deafening applause at the end of the night as they shared their stories and each guests left the cafe with John Besh’s new cookbook, personalized and signed.

Reconcile must also extend a very special thanks to Teddy Graziano of Brown-Forman for providing last night’s wine  and to Fred Holly of Republic National Distributing Co. for supplying the alcohol for the entire dinner series.  After all, it is an impeccably-paired drink that accentuates the flavors of the perfectly-cooked meal — oh, what a night!

John Besh Cookbooks under the Christmas tree!

Ariyauna and Doris pose with Santa!

Andrea (employed at American Sector) smiles with Chef Besh!

Nothing but smiles!

Potato latkes with fall fruit compote

Teamwork at its best!

Doris serves up the herb roast goose - mmmm!!

Hasan and Ashley celebrate a job well done with Chef Besh

New Orleans, LA – Reconcile New Orleans, Inc. has been awarded a $250,000 grant by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The grant will support Reconcile’s $5.9 million capital expansion project, which includes renovation of 12,000 square feet of existing space, a two story 1,800 square foot addition, a new outdoor dining area, and considerable site work around the property. The facility will enable Reconcile to offer a more holistic array of job training, education, and economic development services to out-of-school youth, their families, and Central City residents. Once completed, the five-story facility will house a remodeled Café Reconcile with significantly increased seating capacity, a state of the art Catering and Banquet Center (funded by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation), a Family Learning Center, a Business Accelerator Center (funded by Shell), and new office space that will house The Reconciliation Institute, a nonprofit aimed at sharing Reconcile’s innovative model with communities across the country.

Since 2000, more than 700 young people have successfully completed Cafe Reconcile’s Workforce Development Training Program, acquiring the skills and confidence they need to retain career-track employment in New Orleans area restaurants, hotels, hospitals and universities. Committed community partners like the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation provide access to greater support for job placement and long-term success.

Sr. Mary Lou Specha, Executive Director of Reconcile New Orleans, said: “The Conrad Hilton Foundation’s support of Café Reconcile is essential for the development and growth of our mission. We are honored that they have found hope in our program and we look forward to the successes we will share with them as a result of the expanded facilities.”

About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is a family foundation established in 1944 by the man who started Hilton Hotels.  They provide funds to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world.  Since its inception, the foundation has given nearly $900 million in  <http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/grantmaking> grants.  The majority of their funding is devoted to five <http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/initiatives-a-programs> priority areas: providing safe <http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/initiatives-a-programs/water> water, ending chronic http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/initiatives-a-programs/ending-chronic-homelessness homelessness, preventing <http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/initiatives-a-programs/substance-abuse> substance abuse, caring for vulnerable <http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/initiatives-a-programs/children> children, and supporting <http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/initiatives-a-programs/sisters> Catholic Sisters. For more information, visit http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/home

In celebration of their return to pre-Katrina operating levels, Carnival Cruise Lines has awarded Reconcile New Orleans with a $25,000 grant.  The generous donation will support our students through the Reconcile life skills class and culinary training program.  Carnival’s celebration of the Elation’s departure from the New Orleans port is a joyous one, as it marks the return of a great industry that creates jobs and fosters economic development.  Their donation is just one more step toward improving the New Orleans economy and the lives of its citizens.

Since 2000, more than 700 young people have completed the Cafe Reconcile Culinary Training Program, learning skills to help them acquire and retain employment at New Orleans area restaurants, hotels, hospitals and universities.  Committed community partners like Carnival Cruise Lines provide our students with access to greater support for job placement and long-term success.

Rob Huffman, Carnival Cruise Lines’ regional vice president of sales for the southeast region, remarked, “We are proud to support such a wonderful organization as Reconcile New Orleans, which has helped so many kids in the community build a better future through essential job and life skills training.”

Sr. Mary Lou Specha, Executive Director of Reconcile New Orleans, added: “Carnival Cruise Lines has been helping our community for years, providing jobs and generating revenue for our city.  Now, with this generous donation, they are continuing to prove their dedication to New Orleans by empowering our youth.  We are honored to be associated with such a wonderful organization!”

About Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Cruise Lines is “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line”, with 23 “Fun Ships” operating voyages all over the world.  And yet, Carnival believes that being a member of a community means giving something back. As such, the company and its employees support a variety of charitable and arts-related organizations. Although Carnival’s contributions are wide-ranging, the company primarily focuses on organizations that are based in its homeport communities throughout the U.S.

During times of crisis, Carnival works closely with various national and international relief organizations, coordinating corporate and employee donations for emergencies such as hurricanes in the U.S. and Caribbean.

In the past five years alone, Carnival and its employees have contributed more than $30 million in financial contributions and in-kind donations to a variety of local and national charities, endeavoring to make its homeport communities better places to live and work.

For more information, visit http://www.carnival.com/

Life Skills Students enjoy some hors d'oeuvres in the VIP Lounge

Board Members, Kevin Guitterrez and Alice Wright

Life Skills Students smile as the room cheers for them

Sr. Mary Lou and Rob Huffman, Carnival Cruise Lines’ regional vice president of sales for the southeast region

State Representative, Austin Badon, speaks to Reconcile students

Reconcile students get a private tour of the facilities

Enoying the weather from the top deck of the cruise ship

As the holidays approach, Cafe Reconcile celebrated the start of the season with a lavish meal provided by Chef  Jared Tees of Besh Steak.  Guests began the evening with a sweet “French Sparkler” signature cocktail made with flavored Chamborde vodka, sparkling water, and a twist of lemon.  As they found their seats at the beautifully-set tables, Reconcile students delivered an asparagus and scarlet frill salad that set the tone for what would be an exceptionally opulent dinner.

The second course, Besh BBQ shrimp, spiced up the menu with a bit of a heated kick.  Next came the winter squash agnolotti with brown butter sage that had Sr. Mary Lou’s vote as the best course of the evening.  But it was the fourth dish,the Tournedo of beef with crab béarnaise, that had our guests raving and ranting about the absolute success of the night.

In keeping with the extraordinarily decadent menu, Chef Jared capped off the night with a bread pudding with whiskey ice cream and crunchy candied pecans.  What a finish!

As always, Reconcile students and graduates served our guests at the event and introduced themselves at the end of the evening.  Met with wild applause, they shared their stories and experiences in the Reconcile program.  It was a blessed and beautiful celebration that will be remembered as a truly phenomenal addition of the Eat Well Do Good Dinner Series.

What a menu!

Sheldon and Chef Tees

Preparing the aspargus salads!

Sinead ALWAYS has a smile for the camera

The students, taking their well-earned accolades

November 1, 2011 – Reconcile New Orleans has received a $50,000 grant from Shell.   The grant will support Reconcile’s $5.9 million capital expansion project, which includes renovation of 12,000 square feet of existing space, a two story 1,800 square foot addition, a new outdoor dining area, and considerable site work around the property.  The facility will enable Reconcile to offer a more holistic array of job training, education, and economic development services to out-of-school youth, their families, and Central City residents.  Once completed, the five-story facility will house a remodeled Café Reconcile with significantly increased seating capacity, a state of the art Catering and Banquet Center (funded by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation), a Family Learning Center, a Business Accelerator Center (funded by Shell), and new office space that will house The Reconciliation Institute, a nonprofit aimed at sharing Reconcile’s innovative model with communities across the country.

Since 2000, more than 800 young people have successfully completed Cafe Reconcile’s Workforce Development Training Program, acquiring the skills and confidence they need to retain career-track employment in New Orleans area restaurants, hotels, hospitals and universities.  Committed community partners like Shell provide access to greater support for job placement and long-term success.

Sr. Mary Lou Specha, Executive Director of Reconcile New Orleans, said: “Shell’s support of Café Reconcile is essential for the development and growth of our mission.   We are honored to have their name associated so prominently with our expanded facilities, and we look forward to the future successes that their support will enable.”

About Reconcile New Orleans

An innovative, community-based organization with an entrepreneurial spirit, Reconcile New Orleans, Inc. works to resolve the deeply ingrained social ills of poverty, violence, and neglect by providing at-risk young people, ages 16 to 22, with the skills and confidence necessary to get and retain career-track jobs in New Orleans’ thriving hospitality sector. Our holistic workforce development training program provides life skill, culinary training, work experience, job placement, and case management service for out-of-school youth, and it serves as a cornerstone of economic development in New Orleans’ Central City neighborhood. For more information, visit: www.reconcileneworleans.org.