Leah Chase

This week, Louisiana Eats takes you to the Williams Research Center for the Historic New Orleans Collection's 2024 Food Forum, where host Poppy Tooker moderated a panel discussion that delved into the fascinating stories of three of the city's most enduring restaurants – all family-owned and -operated for generations.On the panel was Lisa Blount, representing Antoine's, the longest continuously operating family-owned restaurant in the nation. Lisa is marketing and menu development director of the 185-year-old eatery, as well as the wife of fifth-generation proprietor, Rick Blount. She tells us about the women and men who kept the business in operation through several generations and what she is doing now to preserve their legacy.Also part of the discussion was Ralph Brennan, third-generation owner of the French Quarter institution, Brennan's, as well as four other restaurants. Ralph explains what inspired him to keep Brennan's in business when it was on the verge of closing. He also describes the circumstances that led him to take over The Napoleon House, an even older restaurant institution in the Vieux Carré. While he made some necessary updates to the building, they were designed not to be seen by a customer base who would have balked at the idea of the restaurant changing in the slightest.Rounding out the panel was Executive Chef Edgar "Dook" Chase, IV, who carries on the legacy of his grandmother Chef Leah Chase, as the fourth-generation proprietor of the over 80-year-old Dooky Chase Restaurant. He tells us about how he's keeping his family's legacy alive while giving newer generations an opportunity to move forward.For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Another year has come and gone. As we look forward to a new one, Louisiana Eats is taking a moment to reflect on the year that was 2024. First, we remember educator, activist, and former First Lady of New Orleans – Sybil Haydel Morial – with an extended version of our 2016 conversation with her. We also celebrate two restaurateurs who took on the task of feeding food insecure kids over the summer – Amanda and Isaac Toups of Toups' Meatery.

In 1941, Emily and Dooky Chase, Sr. opened Dooky Chase Restaurant, a sandwich shop on Orleans Avenue in New Orleans. Under the leadership of their daughter-in-law Leah Chase, the simple shop grew into one of the first African American fine dining restaurants in the country. Today, Leah's legacy lies in the hands of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Now, that crew, which Leah always referred to as "the grands," are debuting their own TV series, produced locally by WYES-TV and airing on PBS affiliates throughout the country. We sat down with the younger generations at the restaurant during the taping of The Dooky Chase Kitchen: Leah's Legacy. On this week's show, we hear not only those young, ambitious voices, but we've dug into our archives to bring you material that never previously aired from the late, great Leah herself.

Twelfth Night 2023 marks 100 years since the birth of the late New Orleans icon, Leah Chase. The culinary legend, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 96, was the undisputed Queen of Creole Cooking and a civil rights activist who changed lives over a bowl of gumbo. On this week's show, we spend the hour honoring Leah's talent, achievements, and lasting legacy.

It is an undisputed fact that Louisiana grows some of the best restaurant talent in the nation. On this week's show, we sit down with the best and the brightest of Louisiana's legacy restaurant families. We begin with the next generation running Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans. Since the death of Leah Chase in 2019, the crew she always referred to as "the grands" have stepped up to nurture and grow the legacy Leah established with her husband, the late Edgar "Dooky" Chase Jr.And if you live in the Crescent City – you may know a Brennan of your own. The restaurant dynasty that began with patriarch Owen Brennan in 1943 has grown to include a fourth generation. We sit down with the whole Brennan clan for a glimpse of what New Orleans’ culinary future looks like.

It’s starting to sink in. The back-to-back deaths of Leah Chase and Dr. John feels like waking up to find that a pair of mountain peaks have vanished from…

This week, we mark the passing of New Orleans icon, and our dear friend, Leah Chase, who died Saturday, June 1 at the age of 96. We spend the hour…

Susan Larson sits down with Judy Walker to discuss cookbooks, part two of four.Some of the classics come from chefs and food experts:The New Orleans…

Join us this week as we celebrate the 95th birthday of a New Orleans icon, our dear friend, Leah Chase. We'll spend the hour honoring Leah's talent and…

Before Leah Chase became the culinary luminary of Dooky Chase's Restaurant, she had to start somewhere. Right out of school, Leah took her first…