Barbara Chifici, the owner of all three Deanie's Seafood restaurants in New Orleans, died on Saturday at Ochsner Medical Center Kenner. She was 77.

It is reported that Chifici died due to complications from the coronavirus.

This year marked 38 years that the Chifici family has owned Deanie's. There are locations in Bucktown, the French Quarter and on Magazine St.

“My mom was an inspiration to generations of culinarians and hospitality workers,” her son Darren Chifici, Deanie's general manager, said in a statement. “She instilled a genuine sense of hospitality, quality, family and pride into everything she did.”

Born Barbara Anselmo, Chifici married her husband Frank Chifici in 1963. The couple operated two restaurants, Chifici's Restaurant in the Central Business District and Gramboli's in Metairie.

They purchased Deanie's Seafood Restaurant & Seafood Market in Bucktown in 1982. Unfortunately, Frank died in 1985, but Barbara would stay in the restaurant business for many years.

In 2001, Chifici opened the second Deanie's, which is located at the corner of Iberville and Dauphine streets in the French Quarter. Deanie's Seafood Kitchen, located at 2200 Magazine St., opened in 2018.

Five of Chifici's seven children are involved in the family business. A sixth is a restauranteur in Mandeville.

Chifici was awarded an American Culinary Federation New Orleans' Oustanding Food Service Professional Award in 2013. She also judged many culinary competitions across the country during her career.

The company said she was a fixture at the restaurants even through the coronavirus pandemic.

Barbara Chifici is survived by her seven children, 12 grandchildren, two brothers, and a sister-in-law.

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