Zasu

Chef Sue Zemanick, who worked in fine dining establishments throughout her high school years in Pennsylvania, decided she wanted to be a chef when she was just 15 years old. She pursued her ambition and enrolled at the Hyde Park, New York, campus of the Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated at the top of her class and worked as an intern in the seafood division. She knew she had to relocate to New Orleans as soon as she realized how much she loved to cook with fish and seafood. Sue discovered a wealth of inspiration while visiting New Orleans, which rapidly started to have an impact on the tastes she uses in her cuisine. She achieved national success after being appointed executive chef at Gautreau's Restaurant in 2005. She was nominated "Best Chef, South" by the James Beard Foundation in 2013 and "Top Ten Best New Chef" by Food & Wine Magazine in 2008. She frequently appears on television, serving as a judge on Top Chef New Orleans and competing in seasons 3 and 5 of Top Chef Masters as a contestant. However, she still considers being the 2015 Honorary Muse in New Orleans' top all-female Mardi Gras procession, Muses, to be her greatest accomplishment. Zasu is her way of saying "thank you" to New Orleans for providing her with unwavering affection and inspiration over the years.