A lover of classic cocktails, Bar Chef Ferrel Dugas has been with Commander’s Palace since 2006 after beginning her bartending career at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse where she learned the ropes for mixing classic cocktails.
“I started out as a hostess at Ruth’s, but my eye was always towards the bar; it’s what I wanted really wanted to do,” remembers Ferrel. “Finally, one day I just asked if I could stand behind the bar to watch them make drinks and they let me. Soon after that, a position opened and they allowed me to train for about a month, and here I am 10 years later!”
Post-Katrina when Ruth’s did not reopen, she tended bar at Dino’s Bar and Grill, a New Orleans establishment, where she stretched her creativity and experimented with developing her own style mixing new cocktail concoctions. From Dino’s, Ferrel came to Commander’s Palace to start all over as low man on the totem pole.
“When I first got to Commander’s, the bar was pretty much run by all guys. I didn’t see the main bar for about two years,” she recalls. “But, Danny Valdez—who was head bartender at the time—introduced me to fresh ingredients and changed the way I approach mixology. Lu Brow, the former Bar Chef at Café Adelaide, has also been a great mentor to me.” Now as head Bar Chef at Commander’s Palace, she continues to make her own fresh juices and hibiscus tea daily and only mixes cocktail with whatever happens to be in season. Her signature cocktails have been featured both locally and nationally including:
Oops Cocktail (New Orleans magazine)
Mr. Leroy (Cheers magazine)
Rosalita (Hanging with Harris)
Saint 75 (featured at the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience)