Phillip A. Wittmann, attorney for the exiled Ted Brennan and his daughter, said he was aware of talk of an air-conditioning problem, but his clients did not dismiss the restaurant's staff. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Before the Court is a Motion for Order Substituting Proper Party and Enrolling Counsel filed by Ronald J. Hof (the "Trustee") in his capacity as the Chapter 7 Trustee for the bankruptcy estate of Brennan's, Inc. Time magazine included the calamitous report in "Milestones." Mondays shareholder meeting was held in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan. That night no one enjoyed the exquisite wines, superb food and comradery of good friends more than Owen. Brennan's on Royal Street, site of an ongoing restaurant family feud. Owen Brennan didn't need frappes but only the flash of his smile and a warm welcome to his many customers. Its groundbreaking first ride paved . Immediately, after the Brennan family split, Maude, Pip, Jimmy and Ted restored Brennan's to the quality-oriented restaurant that Owen Edward Brennan had originally established. Jimmy had been formally trained in the restaurant business at cole Htelire de la S.S.H. Now, with more than 1,600 members and 32 animated super-floats, the Krewe of Bacchus is revered as one of the most spectacular krewes in Carnival history. Before JOLLY, JONES, and BARKSDALE, Circuit Judges. He even held two Bacchus Carnival balls, one in 1949, the other in 1950. She is survived by a sister, her husband, three sons and a daughter, and 13 grandchildren. 2014) Annotate this Case Download PDF Search this Case Google Scholar Google Books Legal Blogs Google Web Bing Web Google News The closure is the latest development in a longtime family feud. In 1969, the Brennan family also purchased an established New Orleans restaurant, Commander's Palace, as well as a family-style restaurant in Metairie called Chez Franais. Brennan had realized that many of his clients were unhappy tourists coming for Mardi Gras because at the time most of the Carnival balls were closed to anyone outside of the city's society circles. Ella had learned most of what she knew about the restaurant business from her brother, Owen, whom she adored. Krewe Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com The Royal St restaurant would soon be known as "Brennan's Restaurant," and opened shortly after Owen's sudden death in 1955. These were reasons enough to inform Ella that they would assume sole control of the original Brennan's and that she with her brothers and sisters could have the remaining six expansion restaurants. She was married to Owen E. Pip Brennan Jr., the son of family patriarch Owen Brennan Sr. Owen Brennan Sr. opened Brennans Restaurant at Bourbon and Bienville streets in 1946. See R. Doc. He was called the "wonder man" of the New Orleans restaurant industry. Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans is in no way affiliated with these most recent ventures or any other restaurant operations. At Owen Brennan's Vieux Carre, Owen's father was found greeting the luncheon customers until a heart attack in the early 50's slowed him down. Owen Brennan - en-academic.com Make your practice more effective and efficient with Casetexts legal research suite. v. Verizon Commc'n, Inc., 479 B.R. His creative ability was Brennan's crowning glory. The parade will head along Napoleon Avenue north until St. Charles Avenue, where the parade will turn east (right). Owen "Pip" Brennan and his sons are determined to re-open Brennan's Restaurant at their historic 417 Royal Street location where they have operated since 1956. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA "We own the Brennan's name and brand, and we intend to move through the legal process quickly with a goal of reopening at 417 Royal Street as soon as possible," said Brennan.Brennan also left open the possibility that the restaurant would relocate to another site in the near future. Owen relocated his operations to 417 Royal St. Owen Brennan - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia Owen would relay complaints overheard at the Absinthe House to offending restaurant owners. Brennan excelled in basketball at the Roman Catholic Brother Martin High School, then known as "St. Aloysius" for the Italian Jesuit Aloysius Gongaza. As a result, there is no confusion under Civil Code article 1903 because the Trustee is appearing as a plaintiff on behalf of unsecured creditors and as a defendant on behalf of the bankruptcy estate. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the firm of Stewart, Robbins & Brown, LLC is granted leave to enroll as counsel of record for the Trustee in this matter. Owen Brennan, Jr., et a Receive free daily summaries of new opinions from the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He acquired the Morphy home on Rue Royale, in 1956, and moved the restaurant there. Jul. Join Where NOLA Eats, the hub for food and dining coverage in New Orleans. Owen Edward Brennan Sr. (April 5, 1910 November 4, 1955), was a restaurateur in his native New Orleans, Louisiana. Appointed by Mayor Chep Morrison, Owen was the founding chairman of the first New Orleans Tourist Commission. The cash proceeds from such a transaction would provide the business with the additional working capital. First Bank and Trust Archives - Slabbed Rolling Sunday: Okeanos, Mid-City, Thoth and Bacchus Pip Brennan filed suit against Theodore M. Brennan, Ralph O. Brennan, H. Hunter "Terry" White, Bridget Brennan Tyrell, LEGGO 4/, LLC, Brennan's, Inc. and DOES "1-5" alleging the "acts and/or failures to act of all Defendants resulted in the foreclosure" of the 417 Royal Street Property, and the judicial sale of the property "caused and/or increased Brennan's, Inc.'s insolvency." Upon the death of Brennan Sr., his son Owen "Pip" Brennan Jr. (born 1934), took over the Krewe in 1968 and worked with his uncle who was only three years his senior, restaurateur Richard Brennan Sr., to restore life to the New Orleans Carnival. Owen became one of the city's best known hosts at his colorful Old Absinthe House, "the oldest saloon in America." Defendants, Theodore M. Brennan ("Ted Brennan") and Bridget Brennan Terrell ("Bridget Terrell") have no opposition to the Trustee's motion to the extent he seeks to be substituted with respect to the revocatory and oblique actions. Owen Edward Brennan Sr. (April 5, 1910 - November 4, 1955), was a restaurateur in his native New Orleans, Louisiana. Kings of Mardi Gras - The Daily Beast "We are especially saddened by the impact of Leggo/4's action on the approximately 100 employees of Brennan's Restaurant whose lives have been impacted by the closure." An obituary on the website ofLake Lawn Metairie Funeral Homestates that Barbara Brennan died Saturday in Long Beach. The mastery of public relations had been an exceptional expertise of Owen. Before the Court is a Motion for Order Substituting Proper Party and Enrolling Counsel filed by Ronald J. Hof (the "Trustee") in his capacity as the Chapter 7 Trustee for the bankruptcy estate of Brennan's, Inc. Richard Brennan (Louisiana) - Conservapedia The krewe will proceed south to the intersection of Tchoupitoulas and Julia St., where the parade will turn left and proceed until it reaches Convention Center Blvd. [3] Unfortunately Brennan did not see his restaurant open to the public. SUSIE MORGAN. Simultaneously, Ella recognized the need to restore Commander's Palace, as it had declined also since its acquisition by the Brennan's in 1969. Brennan was born to Owen Patrick Brennan (1886-1958) and the former Nellie Valentine. Some of the parade's super floats include the Bacchagator, Bacchasaurus, Bacchaneer, Kong Family, and Baccha-Whoppa. Now, with more than 1,600 members and 32 animated super-floats, the Krewe of Bacchus is revered as one of the most spectacular krewes in Carnival history. After the opening of Brennan's of Dallas, plans for a Brennan's of Atlanta ensued as did a chain of two hundred steak houses which was to be called the Inner Circle. 544(b)(1). New this year, the parades theme will be "Starring Louisiana" with . Now, with more than 1,600 members and 31 animated super-floats, the Krewe of Bacchus is revered as one of the most mesmerizing krewes in Carnival history. Father of Private; Private and Private There are two motions to dismiss Pip Brennan's claims pending. Owen built his restaurant into a famous institution overnight, competing with New Orleans' oldest and best in French and Creole cuisine. Owen's customers could recapture the past with a Pirate's Dream, the specialty drink of the Old Absinthe House. Owen "Pip" Brennan is a son of the founder and until recently a manager of the restaurant. Through the years Ella had observed not only Owen's technique in managing the daily operations but also his distinct style and finesse in dealing with the customers and news media. He transformed Mardi Gras into eye-popping, animated extravaganzas that drew millions of people to watch the phenomenon by reimagining and reshaping Carnival parades. On February 16, 1969, the Krewe of Bacchus staged its first Mardi Gras parade. NOLA's # 1 Family The Brennans - Inbound Destinations Barbara Brennan, wife of restaurateur Pip Brennan, dies in Mississippi at 82. "If it weren't for Blaine, there would be no Mardi Gras as we know it today," says Owen "Pip" Brennan, 81, co . Notable celebrity Bacchus monarchs over the years have included Danny Kaye (the first), Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Perry Como, Drew Brees and this year's, Hugh Laurie. "Blaine Kern," Photo by Cheryl Gerber Civil Code article 1903 provides: "When the qualities of obligee and obligor are united in the same person, the obligation is extinguished by confusion.". At that time, Ella's expansion plans began. Barbara Ann Clark Brennan, a member of the famous Brennan family of New Orleans restaurateurs, died Saturday in Long Beach, Mississippi. v. OWEN E. BRENNAN, JR., also known as Pip Brennan; BLAKE W. BRENNAN; BERT CLARK BRENNAN, Defendants - Appellees . Upon the death of Brennan Sr., his son Owen "Pip" Brennan Jr. (born 1934), took over the Krewe in 1968 and worked with his uncle who was only three years his senior, restaurateur Richard Brennan Sr., to restore life to the New Orleans Carnival. After the publication of Frances Parkinson Keyes' Dinner at Antoine's, a new experience was conceived. Plaintiff, Owen E. "Pip" Brennan ("Pip Brennan") opposes the Trustee's motion. Concentration, finances and valued employees had been diverted in the efforts of expansion while culinary excellence was sacrificed. Ted Brennans side argued that Jimmy Brennans daughters did not have the right to vote because they had been bought out earlier. The restaurant originally opened at Bourbon and Bienville in 1946 under the direction of Owen Brennan Sr., patriarch of the Brennan family. "We own the Brennan's name and brand, and we intend to move through the legal process quickly with a goal of reopening at 417 Royal Street as soon as possible," said Brennan. In re Moore, 608 F.3d 253, 260 (5th Cir. Shortly after Neil Clarke, editor and publisher of Clarkesworld, posted this, the magazine closed its submission portal.Clarkesworld is one of the higher paying SFF short fiction markets; let's hope this is temporary. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the Motion for Order Substituting Proper Party and Enrolling Counsel filed by the Trustee be and hereby is GRANTED and the Trustee is substituted as Plaintiff. Welsh said that Blake Brennan has worked double shifts reorganizing and managing the restaurant since gaining control in Monday's vote. On Monday, Jimmy Brennans daughters and Pip Brennan combined their votes to unseat Ted Brennan as Brennans Incorporateds board president and restaurant manager. As the oldest of six children, Brennan felt the need to support his family from a young age. Barbara Brennan was raised in Mobile, Alabama, and attended Spring Hill College there, where she met and married her husband of 60 years. ", Pip Brennan alleges defendants DOES "1-5" are "individuals and/or entities whose current identities are unknown. At that time, Maude, Pip, Jimmy and Ted assumed complete ownership of Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans with no minority stockholders remaining, while Ella and her siblings accomplished the same in all six expansion restaurants. "We are especially saddened by the impact of Leggo/4's action on the approximately 100 employees of Brennan's Restaurant whose lives have been impacted by the closure.". Although shock and grief overwhelmed his family and the friends who loved him so dearly, Brennan's Restaurant still opened in its new Royal Street location on schedule. Pip Brennan asserts the application of Section 544(b) is inappropriate because he is a secured creditor with respect to stock he sold to Brennan's, Inc. Pip Brennan is correct in pointing out that Section 544(b) only allows the Trustee to step into the shoes of an unsecured creditor. Code art. In time, Maude gave birth to two more sons, James (Jimmy) and Theodore (Ted) providing Owen with three male heirs. The restaurant flourished as it gained many regular customers. Krewe of Bacchus - Events - Universe Owen Pip Brennan Jr., the founding captain of the Krewe of Bacchus, has turned over the reins of the citys first super krewe to his son, who was elected captain by a vote of the krewes members Wednesday. To honor Pip Brennan, Bacchus' board of directors has created the position of 'captain emeritus'and elected him to the position. The lawsuit named as defendants Bacchus Captain Owen "Pip" Brennan Jr. and his son Owen Brennan III. Maude heeded Ralph's advice and allowed her father-in-law to increase his percentage as a minority stockholder while maintaining control of Brennan's Restaurant for herself and Owen's three sons. As the famous novelist and syndicated columnist Robert Ruark once wrote about his good friend, "If he had a fault, it was his generosity." Owen's shares of the restaurant were divided among his three children, Ted, Pip and James Jimmy Brennan. The loss of the building and the management overthrow are only the most recent chapters in a long and bitter feud that has made Owen Brennan's offspring as famous for their legal tangles as their cuisine. In reality, the claim is pursued against the other defendants on behalf of Brennan's, Inc. and its creditors. The Krewe of Bacchus parade will start at the intersection of Tchoupitoulas Street and Napoleon Avenue in New Orleans. He then gave his father a small percentage of the business. The record has finally been completed, and Brennan's appeal has now been re-docketed under the present case, Full title:OWEN E. "PIP" BRENNAN, JR., Plaintiff v. THEODORE BRENNAN, et, Court:UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA SECTION "E", OWEN E. "PIP" BRENNAN, JR., Plaintiff v. THEODORE BRENNAN, et al., Defendants. Now, with more than 1,600 members and 31 animated super-floats, the Krewe of Bacchus is revered as one of the most spectacular krewes in Carnival history. The success or failure of this venture rested solely on the shoulders of Owen. Brennan's Inc. is required to be named as a nominal defendant under Louisiana Civil Code article 2044. Owen Brennan - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages Until that time, Owen Patrick Brennan's children, Adelaide, John, Ella, Dick and Dottie, had not been stockholders in the restaurant. And so Owen became the first in his time to promote this epicurean experience anywhere. Upon the death of Brennan Sr., his son Owen "Pip" Brennan Jr. (born 1934), took over the Krewe in 1968 and worked with his uncle who was only three years his senior, restaurateur Richard Brennan Sr.,[5] to restore life to the New Orleans Carnival. Spurred by a challenge from a friend, Brennan in July 1946 opened Owen Brennan's French & Creole Restaurant, which became more commonly known as the Vieux Carre.[1]. Id. He died in his sleep on November 4, 1955, from a massive heart attack at the age of forty-five. Brennan, owner of the Absinthe House, a famous bar on Bourbon Street, and later founder of Brennan's Restaurant on Royal Street, was also the father of the first Captain of The Krewe of Bacchus, Owen "Pip" Brennan, Jr. When Owen Patrick Brennan died, his minority interest in Brennan's was divided among each of his own five surviving children and the late Owen Edward Brennan's three sons, Pip, Jimmy and Ted, further securing Maude and Owen's three sons as majority stockholders of Brennan's Restaurant. B2B intelligence, at your fingertips. While the suit only sought access to records, postings on a Facebook page called "Save the Krewe of Bacchus" suggested that krewe members had larger concerns. the bankruptcy estate of Brennan's, Inc.1 Plaintiff, Owen E. "Pip" Brennan ("Pip Brennan") opposes the Trustee's motion.2 Defendants, Theodore M. Brennan ("Ted Brennan") and Bridget Brennan Terrell ("Bridget Terrell") have no opposition to the Trustee's motion to the extent he seeks to be substituted with respect to the revocatory and oblique . They were replaced by Owen "Pip" Brennan Jr. and his sons, Blake and Clark, who are now operating the French Quarter landmark. Barbara Ann Clark Brennan, a member of the famous Brennan family of New Orleans restaurateurs, died Saturday in Long Beach, Mississippi. [4], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Dick Brennan Sr., New Orleans restaurateur, has died at age 83", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Owen_Brennan_(restaurateur)&oldid=1131584972, Owen Patrick Sr., and Nellie Valentine Brennan, This page was last edited on 4 January 2023, at 20:48. Owen's Irish stubbornness compelled him to work extremely long and hard hours to put Brennan's on the culinary map - locally and nationwide. Brennan's of Dallas opened in 1969 with no Brennan family member in charge of its operations. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA SECTION "E" Casetext, Inc. and Casetext are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. "Bacchagator", "Bacchasaurus" and "King Kong" are among the favorites in the Krewe of Bacchus parade celebration. On June 7, Morgan ordered that all of the Brennan factions had the right to vote as shareholders. Buyer Intent. These perishables were valued at approximately $50,000. "If an actual, unsecured creditor can, on the date of the bankruptcy, reach property that the debtor has transferred to a third party, the trustee may use [Section 544(b)] to step into the shoes of that creditor and 'avoid' the debtor's transfer." Founding captain Owen "Pip" Brennan Jr. and costume designer Larry Youngblood approached Kern with their idea for a krewe that would feature supersized floats with large, animated figures and a. Maude, Owen's widow, had already invested the money realized from her husband's life insurance policy in Brennan's, but these proceeds alone were not enough. Early in 1968, Owen "Pip" Brennan, Jr., son of the late Brennan, held a meeting at Brennan's Restaurant to address this problem. "We are determined to continue the Brennan's tradition and our history of great food and service. Many years his junior, Owen's siblings were either still youngsters in school or just starting out. WYES to Air New Documentary About "Mr. Mardi Gras" Blaine Kern Owen employed his gray-haired father, Owen Patrick Brennan, as he feared injury would befall him in the shipyards. Owen was convinced that if the concept "Dinner at Antoine's" could so successfully captivate a gastronomic audience, then why not "Breakfast at Brennan's?" The founders' original idea was to 'wake up' what they saw as a somewhat sleepy Carnival season, which had just a handful of parades at the time and no major parade on the weekend before Fat Tuesday. Join us to enjoy delicious food, spirits, live and silent auctions, wonderful music, dancing, and Mardi Gras fun, and you don't have to travel to New Orleans or Galveston. You have permission to edit this article. On November 1, 1955, Owen invited Brennan's initial customers to join him at his officially opened bar located in the building carriageway. Origin of krewe Archaizing or fanciful spelling of crew 1; generalized from the Mistick Krewe of Comus, the first such club, founded in New Orleans in 1857 Words nearby krewe Jimmy, Owen and Maude's second son, moved to Houston to manage that operation. For that purpose, the obligee must join in the suit his obligor and the third person against whom that right is asserted.". Reservations made outside those dates are subject to the hotel's regular rates. Former Brennan's Restaurant owner's wife dies in Mississippi Civ. I'll show you and everybody else that an Irishman can run the finest French restaurant in this town!". On February 16, 1969, the Krewe of Bacchus staged its first Mardi Gras parade. of Unsecured Creditors of Cybergenics v. Chinery, 330 F.3d 548, 568-69 (3d Cir. Wittman said that Ted Brennan and his daughter have appealed the federal court ruling that allowed Jimmy Brennans daughters to vote. Thus, under federal bankruptcy law, the Trustee may substitute himself for Pip Brennan in order to pursue the revocatory and oblique actions against the defendants. June 28, 2013, 11:26 AM. He has also been a public face of the krewe throughout the year, doing media interviews and appearing at annual events welcoming each year's celebrity monarch. Everyone deferred to Owen. In September 1943, Owen purchased the business of the Old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street. Owen's multitude of friends continued to patronize the restaurant he had founded even though their good friend was no longer there. At the time of Owen's passing, his sister, Ella, was thirty years old and was still the kitchen supervisor. NEWORLEANS- Owen 'Pip' Brennan Jr., the founding captain of the Krewe of Bacchus, has turned over the reins of the city's first super krewe to his son, who was elected captain by a vote of the krewe's members Wednesday. All rights reserved. Owen's three sons, Pip, Jimmy and Ted, remain the sole owners and operators of their fathers world-famous restaurant on Royal Street. To which Owen responded, " All right you asked for it! DOES '1-5' will be substituted as real parties in interest as soon as their identities are able to be determined.". Brennan added that the current situation has come about because of the mismanagement of the restaurant by Ted Brennan and his daughter Bridget Brennan Tyrell. Spurred by a challenge from a friend, Brennan in July 1946 opened Owen Brennan's French & Creole Restaurant, which became more commonly known as the Vieux Carre. The shooting took place on Sunday, February 19, in the 1600 block of Terpsichore near its intersection with St. Charles Avenue. (AP) Barbara Ann Clark Brennan, the wife of restaurateur Owen Pip Brennan Jr., is dead at the age of 82. The dish Bananas Foster was created at his restaurant. owen pip brennan jr The opening of the restaurant was scheduled for the spring of 1956, but the hand of fate dealt a devastating blow. . 11 U.S.C. They were married 60 years and had been living in Pass Christian, Mississippi, since 2008. Plaintiff, Owen E . Grandstand Tickets: Krewe of Bacchus | All-Day Access Barbara Brennan Obituary (1934 - 2016) - Long Beach, MS - The Times 2044. The Royal St restaurant would soon be known as "Brennan's Restaurant," and opened shortly after Owen's sudden death in 1955. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WDSU-TV. See La. He worked as a liquor salesman and district manager for Schenley Company and, finally, as the temporary manager of the Court of Two Sisters Restaurant. Owen "Pip" Brennan and his sons are determined to re-open Brennan's Restaurant at their historic 417 Royal Street location where they have operated since 1956. On February 16, 1969, the Krewe of Bacchus staged its first Mardi Gras parade. Brennan's son, Clark Brennan, has served Bacchus for decades as a member of the krewe's board and chaired several of the krewe's committees. Management of the iconic Brennan's Restaurant on Royal Street changed hands abruptly June 10, when the restaurant's shareholders ousted Theodore "Ted" Brennan and his daughter, Bridget Brennan Tyrrell, as managers. "In seven short years, Brennan's has come from being one of New Orleans premier restaurants to its current state of financial chaos," Brennan explained. owen pip brennan jrwhat are leos attracted to physically. Owen Brennan may refer to: Owen Brennan (footballer) (1877-1961), Australian rules footballer Owen Brennan (restaurateur) (1910-1955), American restaurateur This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. At Convention Center Boulevard the parade will and turn right and proceed to the Convention Center at Henderson St. 13-30652 (5th Cir. "We are extremely disappointed that the Leggo/4 Corporation has not acted in good faith," said Pip Brennan. Owen attended the fall dinner of its New Orleans chapter at Antoine's Restaurant on a Thursday evening in November 1955. Over a span of the next twenty-three years, Owen's younger siblings were born in the following order: Adelaide, John, Ella, Richard (Dick) and Dorothy (Dottie). By the time Ted arrived in Dallas as the restaurant's newest manager, Brennan's had been opened for fourteen months and was operating in the red with little hope of recovery. The stock of each expansion restaurant - financed by Brennan's Restaurant and Owen's widow, Maude - was divided equally among the nine stockholders of Brennan's and not as the stock was divided in Brennan's itself. The principals in Leggo/4 Corporation include Terry White and Ralph Brennan, cousin of Pip Brennan. Yet her strong will and leadership ability enabled her to assume the role of manager of Brennan's Restaurant. At Canal, the parade turns right, heading southeast down Canal. krewe of bacchus 2023 owen paterson wife funeral A convert to the Catholic faith, she was devoted to the church and loved the outdoors, especially fishing with her family, family members said. Unfortunately Brennan did not see his restaurant open to the public. He died in his sleep on November 4, 1955, from a massive heart attack at the age of forty-five. Menu Log In Sign Up He labeled it "the high brow of all low brow drinks." In 1998, a dispute arose between the Brennan brothers, Owen "Pip" E. Brennan, Jr., James "Jimmy" C. Brennan FN1, and Theodore M. Brennan (hereinafter "the Brennan brothers" or the "brothers"), who owned and operated Brennan's Restaurant, and a cousin, Richard Brennan, Jr. (Dickie), about the use of the family name in connection . Animated Floats." "The first parade was a . 2010)(citing 11 U.S.C. Burial will be in All Saints Mausoleum in Metairie Cemetery, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., in New Orleans. 'Bacchus will sustain its goal of putting on a premiere Mardi Gras parade that focuses the spotlight on the City of New Orleans.'. Among his Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group holdings are Brennan's; Red Fish Grill; Napolean House; Caf Noma; Jazz Kitchen; Ralph Brennan Catering. Owen Edward Brennan and his Vieux Carre restaurant attained nationwide fame on an "Irish smile and a kiss of the Blarney Stone." The Absinthe House had been built in 1798 and was known to be pirate Jean Lafitte's secret hangout. Brennan's, as Owen ultimately wanted his restaurant to be called, became such a lucrative venture that when the time came to renew the lease on the Bourbon Street building, the landlord demanded fifty percent of the business. Maude was advised by her late husband's good friend and financial advisor, Ralph Alexis, to offer her father-in-law, Owen Patrick Brennan, the opportunity to purchase additional Brennan's stock from her rather than allow non-relatives to become partners.