NOWFE Honors Drago's Seafood Founders With Lifetime Achievement Award

Congrats are in order, as both Ian McNulty and Todd Price report that Drago and Klara Cvitanovich of Drago's Seafood Restaurant will receive the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award on November 13. The award, handed out by the New Orleans Food & Wine Experience honors "luminaries of the local hospitality industry." Past luminaries have included Ella Brennan, Paul Prudhomme, Leah Chase and philanthropist Bill Goldring.

The Cvitanoviches, who immigrated from Croatia to New Orleans in 1961, have run Drago's for 45+ years, turning the charbroiled oyster into a thing of magic, and also giving back to the community: in the days after Katrina, Drago's gave away over 75,000 free meals. They're currently about to open their third location in Jackson, Mississippi, along with a new concept Drago's Firehouse Grill opening in Metairie in a few weeks. Their venture into the burger biz with Firehouse Burgers recently shuttered in Fat City, Ian McNulty reports.

The awards ceremony and gala take place at the National World War II Museum tomorrow evening, November 13 at 6:30 p.m. More info/tix here.