Ella Brennan was one of America’s foremost restaurateurs, and now her life is being explored in the brand new documentary “Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table.”

Directed by Oscar and Emmy-nominated director Leslie Iwerks, and narrated by Patricia Clarkson, the film explores how one woman turned New Orleans cuisine into fine dining.

“Before the food business became show business, one woman led the way,” the official synopsis reads. “‘Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table’ follows Brennan’s life steeped in the world of New Orleans dining. At age 18, Brennan went to work at her brother’s bar on Bourbon Street. The New Orleans dining scene had no idea what was about to hit it. The film tracks her work as a pioneer of the modern American food movement, and follows her years of collaboration with chefs like Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse to bring Creole and Cajun flavors into the national vocabulary.”

One restaurant Brennan led, Commander’s Palace, was the only one in the country to earn Zagat’s Most Popular Restaurant Award 18 years in a row. In 2009, Brennan, who is now 90 years old, was awarded with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the James Beard Foundation.

A new teaser trailer for the doc offers the chance to see a powerful woman take on leadership position in a male-dominated field.

“Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table” will have its world premiere in a Special Gala Screening at New Orleans Film Festival October 14,
and will also screen at the Mill Valley Film Festival October 15.