Winner of the 2018 James Beard Awards “Best Chef: South” and one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs 2017, Nina Compton is Chef/Owner of award-winning Compère Lapin and highly acclaimed Bywater American Bistro (BABs) in New Orleans.

Born and raised in St. Lucia, Nina grew up with the flavors and beauty of the Caribbean. At Compère Lapin, Nina creates robust dishes that meld the flavors of her Caribbean upbringing and love for French and Italian cuisine, while highlighting the Gulf and Louisiana’s beautiful indigenous ingredients.

Since opening in June 2015, Compère Lapin has received critical acclaim including Eater National’s Best Restaurants in America 2017; a rave review in The New York Times, and Top 10

Winner of Playboy’s Best New Bars in America 2016. Bywater American Bistro—which opened March 2018—has been named Eater National’s Best New Restaurants in America 2018.

Carol Lavin Bernick, a 1974 alumna of Newcomb College and chair of the Board of Tulane, established the Alberto-Culver Speaker Series. The series brings distinguished, nationally-recognized professional women to Tulane to meet with students and discuss pertinent topics about women in business.