Chef Phillip Lopez is proud to offer ROOT, in the historic Warehouse District of New Orleans, where he offers Modern American cuisine rooted in traditional flavors and techniques. Chef Phillip is a progressive force for new ideas in food preparation, techniques, textures, and service and his passion for the art of the meal fuels his fascination with food creativity. “To me, cooking is a form of communication, and I want to talk to my guests through each bite they take. Meals were an important part of my childhood; eating together as a family, talking about the past and the future, and food invokes those memories and helps create a new story. ROOT is my story.” Chef Phillip approaches his dishes with ingenuity and conviction sourcing interesting ingredients that provide sharp, clean, and bright flavors. “I am serious about food, but it is meant to be playful. I offer my guests that ‘WOW factor’ by putting my own spin on classic favorites, while respecting the flavors of the food.”
ROOT’s menu offers “Plates” to enjoy solo or to share with others. Divided into “Socials,” “Beginnings,” “Middles,” “Principals,” and “Endings.” Chef Phillip offers an open book for guests to write their own story through food. Housemade charcuterie and sausages, including “face” bacon, hog’s head cheese, morcilla, chorizo, and merguez are featured as “Socials.” Chef Phillip’s signature dishes include Louisiana Pickled Shrimp and Shrimp Stuffed Deviled Eggs; Ménage à Foie, a special daily preparation which includes Phillip’s signature “Foielly Pops”; and the Cohiba Smoked Scallops, encrusted in chorizo dust and served with caramelized cauliflower and fennel choucroute.
Phillip Lopez
Executive Chef/Owner
Phillip Lopez is the owner and Executive Chef of Root in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the son of an army family and spent his childhood living in Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Holland, and Puerto Rico. Following graduation from high school, Phillip began his culinary career in Virginia Beach, VA before landing a job in New Orleans with Chef John Besh. After being displaced to Washington, DC following Hurricane Katrina, Phillip was granted the opportunity to train under Chef Michel Richard, the highly celebrated culinarian behind Citronelle. Returning to New Orleans several months later, Phillip again joined Besh and eventually worked at five of his restaurants, including Restaurant August and American Sector at the World War II Museum. In 2010, Phillip became Executive Chef of Restaurant Rambla, a modern-style restaurant with French and Spanish influences.
Just prior to opening Root in November 2011, Phillip was named one of Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine’s Chefs to Watch. Phillip is a progressive force for new ideas in food preparation, techniques, textures, and service and his passion for the art of the meal fuels his fascination with food creativity.
Maximilian Ortiz
General Manager/Owner
Together with Executive Chef Phillip Lopez, Maximilian Ortiz turned a dream into a reality with the opening of Root in New Orleans. He has an ardent understanding of the restaurant industry garnered from over ten years of experience working in some of New Orleans most popular establishments, including Bella Luna, Restaurant August, and Rambla.
While finishing college at Loyola University, Maximilian fell in love with the service industry. Though his original goal was law school, he was deterred by his passion for food and service. Maximilian has found great inspiration from working with chefs such as Horst Pfeiffer and John Besh and their culinary accomplishments played a huge role in shaping his future. It was at Restaurant August that Maximilian and Phillip met and realized they shared a common vision about what the dining scene in New Orleans needed to move forward. Maximilian is poised to leave his mark on the culinary scene in New Orleans.
