Donald Link

The Path

California Culinary Academy was part of Donald Link’s training before he returned to New Orleans and began building his reputation as chef at Herbsaint in New Orleans (from 2000). That return mattered because the city that shaped his palate also became the place where he sharpened his cooking into a more defined practice. At Herbsaint, the food moved beyond simple recollection while staying anchored in the traditions that had taught him how to cook. He later served as chef at Pêche Seafood Grill in New Orleans, and today Donald is chef of Cochon. Across each stage, the throughline is steady: regional cooking, handled with care and rigor, can remain familiar without going stale.

The Work Today

He now serves as Executive Chef and president of Link Restaurant Group and cooks at Cochon. There, Donald Link offers authentic Cajun and Southern cooking using the foods and cooking techniques he grew up preparing and eating. The work is grounded in memory, but it is not fixed; it is built on repetition, familiarity, and respect for both ingredient and method. His signature at the restaurant is traditional Cajun Southern dishes he grew up with. The kitchens under his name keep a broad range, but the center stays consistent. “The principal root of the food is the same, but each restaurant has a different emphasis.” That is the logic at work: the same foundation, adjusted by room and context.

Signature

Donald’s signature dishes include Herbsaint, Cochon, Pêche, and La Boulangerie.

In Their Words “Buying fish whole opens a lot of doors as well, and also allows us to do more unique dishes with all parts of the fish such as the collars and heads.” That idea fits the wider shape of his cooking: resourceful, practical, and attentive to what an ingredient can yield. It reflects a kitchen culture where completeness matters and where technique supports flexibility. “We plan on continuing in the same style as before: to keep searching out the best seafood the Gulf Coast has to offer.” The point here is continuity, not reinvention. The Gulf Coast stays central as source, reference, and standard.

Acclaim

Donald Link has received James Beard Award, Best Chef: South (2007). Donald’s honors include Winner, Best Chefs (2007), Winner, Best Chef: South (2007), Winner, Best New Restaurant (2014), Winner, American Cooking (2010), and Winner, Best American Cookbook (2009). Taken together, the awards track a career built on a clear position: working from the flavors of his upbringing and shaping them into a durable, modern body of work.