Tom Fitzmorris Fund

The Legacy

The monies raised through The Tom Fitzmorris Fund will become scholarships for impressive candidates who will be part of the next generation of New Orleans hospitality industry professionals.

From the Family

Dear Friends,

In the years since Tom’s passing, we have been deeply moved by the sheer number of people who have told us how important his work was, not just to the New Orleans restaurant industry, but to them personally.

Industry professionals and diners alike speak with gratitude about what they learned from Tom, about the enthusiasm he ignited in them, and how entertaining he was. Tom’s passion for the city he loved and the food we are so privileged to enjoy brought together the creators of extraordinary meals and the diners who appreciated them. He elevated the diner’s appreciation for the skill and artistry behind every plate, bridging the gap between artist and patron.

Few people remember Tom without mentioning his role in helping New Orleans find its way back after Hurricane Katrina. Tom focused on one simple, stubborn goal: getting back into restaurants to eat the food he loved. He truly did live to eat. His now-famous “List” on nomenu.com became a yellow brick road back to dining in New Orleans. People checked it like the weather. It was invaluable in connecting vendors to customers and diners to their favorite restaurants. Tom helped to stitch the industry, and our city, back together, one reopened dining room at a time.

Tom’s own story makes this legacy even more meaningful. He grew up in old Kenner in a family with little money, where convenience food was not an option and everything was made from scratch. His mother, Aline, could make a meal out of nothing, and from her he learned both thrift and taste. A scholarship to Jesuit and his time at UNO provided opportunities setting up his life’s path. A moment in 1972 at UNO’s Flambeau Room changed his life and ultimately the culinary culture of this city. From that first restaurant review Tom ignited a passion in others that would span generations.

The University of New Orleans and others approached us about creating a scholarship in Tom’s name. We agree that his legacy should be preserved and his contributions to the culinary fabric of the city he loved should be remembered. The Tom Fitzmorris Scholarship Fund will support promising young people who share his curiosity, standards, and ambition. We aim to help them access the education that once made all the difference for Tom.

If your life has been enhanced in any way by Tom Fitzmorris, we ask that you give as generously as you are able. Your contribution will honor his unique legacy by funding the next generation of talented people whose ambitions and integrity would have made Tom proud.

Whether it is five dollars or five thousand, please give generously. Every dollar helps us pay it forward, just as Tom did every single day.

With Gratitude…..

Mary Ann, Jude and Mary Leigh Fitzmorris

P.S. If you have ever called in on a colored phone, have a Ciao number, can recite the three soup du jour jokes, know who Wentworth Brewster or Nigel the bartender is, been intrigued by a too-good-to-be-true restaurant on April 1st, can recite his hamburger equation, sung Christmas carols with Tom on Christmas Eve, and especially sung the Jesuit Fight Song, it behooves you to click the button and donate.