Tom Fitzmorris, the well-known New Orleans food critic, radio host, and author who spent decades covering the city’s restaurant scene passed away on February 12th. Born in 1951 in New Orleans, Fitzmorris developed a deep love for the city’s rich culinary traditions from a young age.
He attended Jesuit High School and later The University of New Orleans, where he studied English and journalism. It was while at UNO the Mr. Food moniker was conceived, and it stuck.
In 1977, Fitzmorris launched The New Orleans MENU, a newsletter that would evolve into a comprehensive online guide to the city’s dining scene. His career as a food writer flourished as he contributed to local publications, including New Orleans Magazine, Gambit Weekly, and The Times-Picayune.
Fitzmorris cited local food critic and UNO faculty member Richard Collin as a mentor.
One of Fitzmorris’s most significant contributions to the food world was his long-running radio show, The Food Show, which began in 1975. With a focus on New Orleans cuisine, the program became a staple for food lovers, featuring restaurant reviews, cooking advice, and interviews with chefs. His deep knowledge and witty commentary made him a beloved figure among locals.
The Food Show also fielded calls from listeners seeking dining advice, recipe tips and the like. Callers could also count on Tom wisecracking, "Ya call that livin'?" when they told him where they resided.
The self-proclaimed "Dean of New Orleans Food Writers", Fitzmorris was not without critics of his own, some of which could be found anonymously bashing him on local internet food forums.
Still, he kept a good sense of humor, and his radio show listeners could count on annually re-hearing the "Bunker Bistro" story, about a new restaurant opening in the old subterranean civil air defense installation buried deep in the neutral ground between West End and Pontchartrain Boulevards. Repeated on many an April 1st, of course.
Fitzmorris also appeared as a regular panelist on local public TV's "Steppin' Out", a show hosted by Peggy Scott Laborde covering New Orleans food, arts and entertainment. The two were also co-authors of The Lost Restaurants of New Orleans (2011), chronicling over 120 restaurants of New Orleans past.
Fitzmorris authored several books on New Orleans dining, including Hungry Town: A Culinary History of New Orleans, the City Where Food Is Almost Everything (2010) and Tom Fitzmorris’s New Orleans Food (2006), which showcases classic local recipes. His expertise and passion for food helped document the evolution of New Orleans cuisine, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when he played a key role in tracking the city's restaurant recovery.
Over the years, Fitzmorris gained a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable voices on Creole and Cajun cooking, influencing generations of food enthusiasts. Even after stepping away from daily broadcasting, his work continued to serve as an essential guide to the ever-changing food scene in New Orleans.