Michael Rodrigue, Lucien Gunter and Paul Rotner, president/owner, chief executive officer and chief operating officer, respectively, of Acme Oyster House, have a brotherly rapport, with a teasing banter that is entertaining to watch. The three of them run extremely successful restaurants, spanning from Louisiana to Florida, and volunteer their time, money and resources to several local charities, while still living life to the fullest.
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| Paul Rotner, Lucien Gunter and Mike Rodrigue of Acme Oyster House are the 2013 LRA Restaurateurs of the Year. |
This Acme
trio was among the guests of honor August 3, 2013, at the LRA Education Foundation (LRAEF) Five Star Futures Gala, where they received the Louisiana
Restaurant Association (LRA) Restaurateurs of the Year award.
Restaurateur
of the Year is the LRA’s most prestigious award. Each year, it is presented to
an individual (or individuals) who has contributed unselfishly to the
advancement of Louisiana’s restaurant industry and has continually dedicated
his services at both the local chapter and state levels. Past winners include
Ruth Fertel, Emeril Lagasse, Leah Chase and last year’s recipient, Todd Graves
of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers fame.
Rodrigue, a
native New Orleanian, bought the iconic Acme Oyster House in 1985, during a
slow period in the restaurant’s history. He got to work, reviving the
restaurant and creating a brand that boasts five locations in the Greater New
Orleans area, Baton Rouge and Florida and has grown to 500 employees with an
annual revenue topping $25 million. Rodrigue is one of the founding members of
the Bayou District Foundation, which revitalized the former St. Bernard Housing
Project and City Park Golf Course.
With more
than 20 years of hospitality experience, Gunter serves as Acme’s chief
executive officer, successfully opening four of the company’s five restaurants.
Next year, he will oversee the sixth location, located in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Gunter serves on many boards, including the LRAEF and the
Fore!Kids Foundation and currently chairs the New Orleans Oyster Festival.
A California
native, Rotner has more than 30 years of management experience in the
restaurant and hospitality industry, with stints at the Hard Rock Café and
Hotel chain in Las Vegas, among other cities, and the Pink Taco Restaurant
chain. He joined Acme in 2007 and is its chief operating officer. Rotner sits
on the LRA Board of Directors and is currently the LRA Greater New Orleans
Chapter President. He also volunteers his time to the Save Louisiana Coalition
and the Sunshine Kids Foundation.
“Acme is
involved at every level of our association,” said LRA Chair David Hearn. “Their
commitment of time, staff involvement and funds are unmatched. We are so
thankful to have them on board. They make the LRA a stronger organization.”
Serving
patrons for more than 100 years, Acme Oyster House’s first location opened on
Royal Street in the French Quarter in 1910. Its current French Quarter location
was established on Iberville Street in 1924, after a fire devastated the
original restaurant. By the early 1980s, the restaurant had hit some lean times
and just before Rodrigue purchased it, Acme’s famous “Waitress available
sometimes” neon sign was born. The eatery only employed one waitress and closed
at 4 p.m. That the restaurant had fallen on hard times was not daunting to
Rodrigue, who was determined to turn it around, without having to make too many
changes.
And turn it
around he did. According to Acme’s website, the restaurant served 250,000 raw
and chargrilled oysters in 1985. In 2008, Acme shucked 3.6 million fresh
oysters across four locations. That amounts to 10,000 oysters a day, not
including the ones that are fried.
A secret to
their success? Proximity. Each Acme location is a short, refrigerated drive
from where the restaurant’s oysters are harvested.
While Rodrigue,
Gunter and Rotner’s business sense is certainly something to be commended, even
more lauded is their work with the community. All three men join a long,
illustrious list of LRA Restaurateurs of the Year who have made it their
mission to give back to those that have patronized their restaurants year in
and year out. Restaurateurs are some of the most philanthropic people there
are, and the guys behind Acme are right at the top.
