The holiday season is upon us … chilly air in New Orleans also means Reveillon dinners in restaurants across the city. The tradition is specific to this region and has a long and storied history stretching back hundreds of years. Kelly Schulz, Sr. Vice President of Communications for New Orleans and Company, says the tradition reaches back to the early 19th century. “In French, which was the original language here in New Orleans, the word ‘reveillon’ means ‘awakening’,” Schulz illustrates. “The Creoles would begin the start of Christmas in the early 1800’s with a big family meal when they would return from midnight mass. That tradition of a reveillon dinner has endured until today and is very much celebrated as a modern day tradition here in New Orleans to enjoy family and good food around the holidays,” Shulz goes on to say.
New Orleans is a unique city full of unique traditions, but many residents still haven't partaken in a Reveillon dinner, despite its storied tradition. For those who aren't sure what to expect: while the menus can vary greatly from restaurant to restaurant, Kelly Schulz points out that there are some common themes. "There are many participating restaurants who add their own particular twists to the Reveillon tradition," Shulz adds. "They may offer some house specialties or some newer items to the menu. Some add traditional New Orleans favorites. The tradition stretches back to the 1800's, so New Orleanians have come to enjoy these dinners and have added lots of twists to them," emphasizes Shulz.
For a stretch of time, the tradition of Reveillon dinners in the city had taken a dip as many restaurants stopped hosting them. "The tradition had sort of faded away over generations by around the 1940's," Shulz illustrates. "Around the 1990's, there was a real revival of the Reveillon dinner tradition, and since then it's remained popular in the city," Shulz goes on to say.
COVID and the stresses the pandemic put on the city and its residents was also a test of this storied tradition in New Orleans. "I think especially since COVID, people appreciate gathering around a table with family even more," notes Shulz. "Gathering around a table, enjoying a good meal with family around the holidays, I think it means a little more to people now post-COVID," she goes on to say. It doesn't hurt that the city (already known for its gastronomy) is undergoing a bit of a renaissance lately. "New Orleans has a restaurant scene that is absolutely exploding. The list of accolades our restaurants have received this year is really astounding and well-deserved," Shulz adds. "There's truly an entire campaign in the city known as 'Holidays New Orleans Style' - between holiday shopping, special hotel rates, these Reveillon Dinners ... they all offer opportunities for families to come together in the city," Shulz says.
New Orleans is a city known for fostering traditions and carrying them into the future, and it looks like Reveillon Dinners are one of those special things the crescent city will continue to surprise visitors and residents alike with. Shulz notes the renewed enthusiasm and participation in the dinners from restaurants both old and new and New Orleanians who have been here for generations alongside newer transplants looking to dive into the city's history. For a full list of Reveillon dinners happening in the area, visit NewOrleans.com