Dear Friends,

Coming together over a meal is when New Orleans people are happiest, most at ease, and also the most open. In New Orleans, food brings people together. That’s because food is deeply personal in our community, something we not only share but that is tied closely to our own sense of self.

So what happens, then, when we ask locals to contemplate the final chapter in their life stories? What happens when we ask them to name what they’d have for their last meals? For this year’s recipe campaign that accompanies our transaction mailers, we have asked a few of our communities’ most accomplished business and cultural leaders to take up the question of their ideal last meals as a way to explore the culture and values we share.

Culture and values are key components at Corporate Realty, in how we serve our clients and how we interact with our colleagues. For many years now we have used this forum to showcase our culture and values through New Orleans food (and also to keep everyone abreast of our real estate successes).

When you ask New Orleans people about food, the discussion is never boring and often quite illuminating, and I have no doubt our last meal explorations here will follow suit.

We celebrate life at every stage in New Orleans, the city that put the “fun” in funeral, and this is another way to understand that dynamic.

Personally, as I consider our last meal theme, I’m feeling grateful for all the experiences and memories and generosity that have informed my own relationship with New Orleans food culture and with the people who contribute to it. I am also particularly grateful for all of my friends, new and old, and the great meals we’ve shared together. I am counting on many, many wonderful meals to come as we embark on another year of business, of service, and of community.

In the next couple of weeks, we will be releasing the first featured contributor and recipe in this new series. We hope you will enjoy the series as much as we enjoyed putting it together. In the meantime, take a glance at our social media to see some behind-the-scenes shots, or visit past recipes at corp-realty.com/recipes.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Siegel

President, Corporate Realty