Ruth Fertel
Encyclopedia
Ruth Ann Udstad Fertel was the founder of Ruth's Chris Steak House
s.
. During the Great Depression
, she and her family moved to the community of Homeplace in Plaquemines Parish. She skipped several grades in grammar school, and later entered Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge at the age of fifteen to pursue degrees in chemistry
and physics
.
In 1946, Udstad obtained a job teaching at McNeese State University
in Lake Charles
. She left after two semesters.
On October 2, 1948, she married Rodney Fertel, who lived in Baton Rouge and shared her love of horses, and they had two sons, Jerry and Randy. In 1951, they opened a racing stable in Baton Rouge. Ruth earned a thoroughbred
trainer’s license, making her the first female horse trainer in Louisiana. Ruth and Rodney divorced in 1958.
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Ruth's Chris Steak House is a chain of more than 121 steakhouses across the United States and in several international locations. The restaurant is regarded as an upscale fine dining establishment, marking a gradual elevation in its status since its founding in the 1960s...
s.
Early life and teaching
She was born in New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, she and her family moved to the community of Homeplace in Plaquemines Parish. She skipped several grades in grammar school, and later entered Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge at the age of fifteen to pursue degrees in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
.
In 1946, Udstad obtained a job teaching at McNeese State University
McNeese State University
McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as a junior college, McNeese experienced growth due to economic activity in the region. It adopted its present name in 1970....
in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
. She left after two semesters.
On October 2, 1948, she married Rodney Fertel, who lived in Baton Rouge and shared her love of horses, and they had two sons, Jerry and Randy. In 1951, they opened a racing stable in Baton Rouge. Ruth earned a thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
trainer’s license, making her the first female horse trainer in Louisiana. Ruth and Rodney divorced in 1958.
Ruth's Chris Steak House
In 1965 Fertel, a divorced mother of two, found a classified ad offering a restaurant for sale. She mortgaged her house to purchase the restaurant, the original Chris's steakhouse. In 1976 a fire forced her to relocate. Terms of her purchase agreement prevented her from using the name "Chris's Restaurant" anywhere but the original location, prompting the restaurant to be renamed "Ruth's Chris." The same year, Fertel agreed to issue her first franchise. The franchise chain spread rapidly over the next two decades, earning Fertel a number of accolades as an entrepreneur. She died at age 75.Honors
Some of her awards include:- 1992 – Regional Entrepreneur of the Year, Inc. Magazine
- 1995 – Entrepreneur of the Year, Horatio Alger Association
- 2001 – Ella Brennan Savoir Faire Award