Mark Latter, a veteran New Orleans restaurateur and founder and CEO of Latter Hospitality, knows the “secret sauce” to his group’s restaurants and success.
“Hospitality is the secret sauce to success in this business,” said Latter. “I cannot stress enough the importance of making your guests feel comfortable. It can be the greeting at the front door from the host or the personable service you receive from your server or bartender. We want every guest to leave one of our restaurants with the mindset that they can’t wait to come back.”
New Orleans-based Latter Hospitality is the group behind Tujague’s (the second-oldest restaurant in the city), the stylish The Bower Restaurant & Bar, and the brunch-forward Birdy’s Behind The Bower.
Latter’s own story is deeply rooted in New Orleans tradition—he’s preserving the legacy of a landmark restaurant, Tujague’s—while also redefining Southern hospitality through his newer ventures. He has a knack for balancing history with forward-thinking food and design—all in an industry he loves.
“My friends say I can make friends with a brick wall,” said Latter. “I truly love meeting new people and hearing their stories. Running bars and restaurants allows me to meet new people every day I go to work. The hospitality industry can be very challenging, but at the end of the day, when our guests walk out of one of our establishments happy, it makes it worth it to do what we do.”
Latter said the overall mission of Latter Hospitality is to create memorable experiences and provide excellent customer service, and his group prides itself in giving people the opportunity to make a career in the hospitality industry. In fact, Latter believes one of his best suggestions for other owners and operators is to build and surround themselves with a great team.
“Having a great team around you is imperative in building a hospitality company; you simply cannot do it by yourself,” shared Latter. “Hire team members who look at things differently from you and are willing to bring new ideas to the table.”
"You Are Our Guest and Not a Customer”
How did Latter get started in the industry?
His father purchased Tujague’s in 1982 when he was only five years old. “On Sundays, I would spend all day with him at Tujague’s, and when I turned 12, I was promoted to be a dishwasher,” he shared. “From that point forward, I have worked in the industry one way or another to this day
Tujague’s will turn 170 next year. It’s an historic restaurant that’s been visited by former U.S. Presidents Frankin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and France’s once President Charles de Gaulle.
“We are a quintessential, classic New Orleans restaurant, serving French Creole cuisine,” said Latter. “We are in the heart of the French Quarter and cater to locals and visitors alike. We invented the grasshopper cocktail in 1918 and relish our role as the birthplace of brunch [in the United States].”
In addition to the iconic Tujague’s restaurant, Latter Hospitality also operates The Bower Restaurant & Bar.
“The Bower couldn't be more different than the historic Tujague’s in look and cuisine,” explained Latter. “The Bower is a cozy, stylish modern New American restaurant with a large landscaped outdoor space. We specialize in creative craft cocktails, an extensive wine list, and an ever-changing food menu. We partner with Sugar Roots farm to create a farm-to-table feel and offer a variety of fresh house made pastas. When the sun goes down, the music is turned up, and you will see date nights and large tables of guests enjoying a girls’ night out.”
Birdy’s Behind The Bower is also a popular spot in New Orleans. “Birdy’s is the brunch version of The Bower,” said Latter. “Except everything is pink. Birdy’s offers brunch seven days a week and shares the landscaped outdoor space with The Bower. On the weekends, the bottomless mimosas are flowing, and the vibe is poppin’. This is the Instagram crowd. We offer a variety of locally sourced southern comfort brunch food, with shareable plates like the ever so popular Brunch Board.”
What makes Latter Hospitality’s establishments so memorable? Latter said it’s how they run their businesses.
“We have a more casual, laid-back way of running the restaurants,” said Latter. “We want you to feel like you are coming into one of our homes when dining with us. We preach that when you come to dine with us, you are our guest and not a customer.”
The Role New Orleans Plays: ‘So Much Rich Culture, Music, and Culinary History
Latter said he loves running his hospitality group and bars and restaurants in New Orleans. “What I learned quickly when I was a freshman at The University of Alabama—roll tide!—is that people who don't live here absolutely love visiting New Orleans,” he explained. “We have so much rich culture, music, and culinary history that it makes our job much easier. Year after year, we are named the top food city in America.”
Because New Orleans is such a culinary-focused destination, with countless bars and restaurants as options, people always ask Latter about the “competition.
“What people don't understand is that here in New Orleans, we are a very close-knit restaurant community, and we are all very good friends,” said Latter. “I don't see others as competition, but more as partners. The restaurants that may seem to be competitors are the first people we call when we need extra linens, or our ice machines go down. We all have the same goal, and that is to give people the best and most memorable experience of their life when dining with us. If they have dinner at Tujague’s, they can have brunch at Commander’s Palace and Friday lunch at Galatoire’s Restaurant. So many great restaurants here.”
Latter is heavily involved in the local bar and restaurant scene, beyond running his own establishments. He’s the chair of the Louisiana Restaurant Association this year, and he’s very involved with connecting with the community. “Between others on the Latter Hospitality team and me, we are on seven to eight boards that engage with the community,” he said. “I also just spent the last seven years coaching my son's baseball team, and the ‘rec’ ball teams usually had one of the entity's names in the team’s name. We feel it is important to get involved and give back to the local community, whether by giving our time or donating food for fundraising events.”
With Tujague’s being in the French Quarter, it also plays a huge role being a classic New Orleans establishment that the community and tourists want to visit. “We host hundreds of private parties, anything from a bachelorette party, a business meeting, and even full weddings,” said Latter. “The Bower and Birdy's are located in the Lower Garden District, and we are situated perfectly to get locals and tourists alike. Between the three restaurants, we offer a variety of cuisines and experiences to attract all walks of life.”
What’s on the Menu: Cuisine, Beverages, and Industry Trends
Latter said he’s a “sucker” for house-made pasta, so the Bolognaise Pappardelle from The Bower is one of his favorites from Latter Hospitality, as well as Tujague’s Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned. “These are two staples that will always be featured on the menu.”
While some items will always stay on the menus of his restaurants and bars, Latter said he likes to change the menus for every season. “We want to offer what is in season at the time, and it gives the chefs a chance to get their creative juices flowing,” he shared. “Each restaurant has their signature items on the menu that are staples, but we always want to offer new and exciting dishes to complement them.”
In terms of Latter Hospitality’s beverage menus, Tujague’s just won the 2nd highest Wine Spectator award for its wine list, which is curated by Sommelier Shay Williams.
“We lean toward traditional New Orleans classics for the cocktail program, Sazerac and French 75, and of course, The Grasshopper, to name a few,” said Latter. “Mickey Mullins runs the cocktail program at The Bower and Birdy’s. He is very talented, and we always have one of the most creative and innovative cocktail lists in the city. We end the year at The Bower with the bah humbug Christmas-themed bar, where you will drink cocktails out of all Christmas-themed mugs and glassware. Birdy’s is mainly a hot spot for bottomless mimosas, we offer a full cocktail list and wines by the glass.”
In terms of trends in the cocktail world, Latter thinks Mezcal is the next spirit to take over cocktail menus. And he said that Latter Hospitality does its best to stay on top of trends because it’s important to keep guests engaged through social media and new happenings at the restaurant. “It is easy to become stale,” he noted. “The industry is constantly evolving, and we must evolve with it.”
Latter suggested that all bar and restaurant owners and operators keep up with trends. “Guests want what’s new and innovative, and you need to keep up with the trends to be able to offer them,” he said. “Bone marrow is a great example. When we put the bone marrow on The Bower menu, finished off with a chartreuse luge, we could not keep up with the demand. We always want to give our guests a memorable experience, and keeping up with the latest trends helps ensure that. Social media has taken over the marketing world, so give your guests something that they will want to post and share. This can be the bone marrow luge, a dessert tree, or anything that will make you stand out.”
Another big trend that Latter is paying attention to is low alcohol by volume (ABV) cocktails and mocktails. “We are getting creative with mocktails, so that when a guest is not partaking in consuming any alcohol, they can still enjoy a creative concoction,” he said. “Here in New Orleans, low ABV and mocktail menus are growing and becoming the norm.”
Tackling Challenges as an Owner/Operator, Maintaining a Positive Outlook
Besides tackling trends, Latter Hospitality is focused on industry issues and challenges, trying to navigate those. “We have so many challenges as a hospitality group in today’s market,” revealed Latter. “Post-COVID labor costs are up 35 percent and the cost of goods nearly 40 percent, so we are now operating with razor-thin margins. We have to adjust and adapt when menu planning more than ever.”
Latter’s best advice for other owners and operators, when it comes to challenges, is to be ready to be audible and adapt to any situation.
“I like using the term “stick and move” with the team instead of talking about how you can’t do something,” said Latter. “Let’s figure out a way to make it happen. We are thrown curveballs daily, and it’s how you react to the adversity is what matters. You must be willing and able to make quick decisions and adapt. Stay positive and lead by example.”
Latter said owners and operators must also stay on top of the numbers, in terms of facing or staying ahead of challenges.
“You have to know what's working and what is not working with regards to the numbers,” stressed Latter. “The costs of a restaurant change daily, and you must monitor and adjust when necessary. We run on razor-thin margins these days, and one to two percentage points can make a world of difference.”
Advice for the Hospitality Industry: ‘It Is Our Job to Make Other People Happy’
Looking back over all of his time and experiences in the industry, Latter is proud to say that he’s spent extensive time doing every single job in a restaurant. “Washing dishes, fry cook, busboy, or bartending, I have done it all,” he said. “It goes a long way with our team members when I can show them that I can and have done their job before, being able to jump in and help during really busy times will win over your team all day.”
Of course, Latter loves what he does, and he demonstrates this in every task and with every interaction with his staff and guests.
“This may sound like a cliché, but you must love what you do, especially in the hospitality industry,” he shared. “It can be a thankless job at times, and the most rewarding at the same time. It is our job to make other people happy, and it can be very rewarding.”
For the future, Latter said he’d like to expand his hospitality group into new cities.
“We would like to expand in another market by next year,” he said. “We have looked in Atlanta, Nashville, and Austin. New Orleans is a small town and I would like to spread [Latter Hospitality’s] wings in larger markets.”
Aaron Kiel is an award-winning journalist and public relations professional in Raleigh, N.C. He’s worked in the beverage, tea, and coffee industries for two decades, as well as hospitality and technology. He’s a journalist at heart, but he also wears a PR and communications hat through his consultancy, ak PR Group. Aaron is a contributing writer/reporter for Questex’s Bar & Restaurant News and he’s a past editor of Questex’s World Tea News. In 2023, he was a finalist and honorable mention in the “Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards” for “Range of Work by a Single Author – B2B” for World Tea News, and in 2024, he won two awards for his work with Bar & Restaurant News, including a Gold Northeast Region Award in the American Society of Business Publication Editors’ (ASBPE) Azbee Awards under the “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” category, and a “Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Award” in the B2B article category for “Culture & Community.” He also received a 2024/2025 ASBPE Diversity Fellowship Award, which supports and recognizes diversity in the field of B2B journalism. Connect with him on Instagram: @adventurer_explorer or visit akprgroup.com.
Are you registered for our Crave and Crave on the Menu newsletters? Sign up today!
Plan to Attend or Participate in the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 18-20, 2024
To learn about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend Bar & Restaurant Expo 2024 in Las Vegas. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo, contact:
Veronica Gonnello (for companies A to G) e: vgonnello@questex.com p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz (for companies H to Q) e: tschultz@questex.com p: 917-258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh (for companies R to Z) e: falsayegh@questex.com p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.