Where Did Ruth's Chris Steak House Get Its Name From?

Ruth's Chris Steak House got its start in New Orleans, and today the acclaimed restaurant known for its butter-bathed, perfectly broiled steaks has over 150 locations worldwide. The tongue-twisting moniker came about when owner Ruth Fertel found herself having to relocate the restaurant and uphold a contract that didn't allow for the original name to be moved with it.

Fertel, a single mother seeking an occupation that would pay enough to put her kids through college, purchased Chris Steak House from founder Chris Matulich in 1965. The restaurant sadly caught fire in 1976, and Fertel had to move the location down the block on Broad Street. At the time, she was unable to break the contract stating the name Chris Steak House was not to move with her, so she cleverly attached her first name to the restaurant.

Ruth's Chris Steak House, originally purchased for $18,000 from her mortgaged home, earned its place on the map of successful New Orleans restaurants due to Fertel's excellent customer service, the sourcing of quality ingredients, and her allegiance to both her patrons and employees. The 60-seat restaurant was a community staple, with Fertel opening her doors to feed people for free following Hurricane Betsy. Despite Fertel initially disliking the name Ruth's Chris, it has become synonymous with excellent quality steaks. 

When Ruth Fertel first opened her steakhouse, she credited her success to treating customers like family. She learned the business as she went, figuring out how to butcher the steaks herself. Back then, Fertel sold her steaks for $5 a pop, and within six months of taking over the steakhouse, she had already made double the salary of her previous job. She also discovered that serving her steaks on a 500-degree plate would keep the butter sizzling and the steak warm, and this made her meals stand out from the competition. The steaks were — and still are — simply seasoned and broiled at 1800 degrees, which is likely what makes Ruth's Chris steaks taste so good.

However, there's one more thing that Fertel is known for: At the original location, she famously employed a wait staff made up of only single mothers, who became known as "The Broads on Broad Street." Why did she do this? Well, she was a single mother herself, of course, so she knew exactly what she was getting. "She said that they were hard workers and very reliable," said food historian James Jensen, host of the podcast Toasty Kettle. "For many years, Chris Steak House was the only upscale restaurant in New Orleans with an all-female wait staff. Her restaurant attracted local politicians, athletes, businessmen and reporters."

Fertel, who died in 2002 at the age of 75, truly was a trailblazer, and while her policy of only employing single mothers on the wait staff is no longer in place at Ruth's Chris, her legacy lives on through the chain of steakhouses bearing her name. If there are no Ruth's Chris Steak House locations near you, why not take a page out of Fertel's book and learn how to cook the perfect steak at home? Here are some tips for making restaurant quality steak in your own kitchen.