Restaurateur, entrepreneur, author, and sought-after speaker Ti Adelaide Martin is one of the
original champions for hospitality in business. A true ambassador of her beloved hometown
New Orleans, Ti wears many hats to amplify the city’s community and culture: she’s the
co-proprietor of New Orleans’ legendary restaurant, Commander’s Palace, co-founder of the New Orleans Proud to Call It Home campaign, and a driving force behind Louis Armstrong
International Airport’s new billion-dollar airport terminal as finance chair and a 12-year member
of the Aviation board. She also serves as the co-founder and chair of the board of New Orleans
Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI), a 93,000 sq ft facility and 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization that educates a diverse community of learners to sustain an ever-evolving
hospitality industry. In the fall of 2025, Ti helped to launch Commander’s Palace’s latest venture, Commander’s Collection, the restaurant’s first foray into home and kitchen goods,
enabling fans from across the country to bring a piece of the restaurant into their own homes.
The brand new collection is available to order online as well as in store at Le Petit Bleu,
Commander’s Palace’s new chic crêperie just steps away from the iconic restaurant.

Hospitality has always been a serious business in Martin’s family. She inherited her love of the
restaurant industry from her mother, Ella Brennan Her story is depicted in the documentary, Ella
Brennan: Commanding the Table, which recounts the birth of the modern American food
movement and charts Ella’s success in a male-dominated field, while capturing both her’s + Ti’s
philosophies on food, hospitality and business. The family’s legacy continues to thrive today
under the leadership of co-proprietors Ti Martin and Lally Brennan, alongside Executive Chef
Meg Bickford. In 2023 the restaurant celebrated 130 years of restaurant history by rolling out a
year-long celebration calendar that included Ti leading a hospitality-focused panel during New
Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), and a Chef Meg & Co dinner series shining a light on
local chefs and restaurants, with a portion of the evening’s proceeds going to Café Reconcile.

Martin’s accomplishments are reflected in the prestigious list of accolades she has been
awarded, including: Biz New Orleans Executive of the Year (2020), James Beard Award -Who’s
Who of Food & Beverage in America (2018), Louisiana Restaurant Association’s Restaurateur of
the Year (2016), Wine Spectator’s Grand Award (2012 + 2024), City Business’ Woman of the
Year Award (2011), as well as helping Commander’s Palace procure seven James Beard
Foundation Awards.