Lena Richard

Who taught you how to cook? Perhaps it was a favorite family member or Julia Child on public television. Maybe you devour cookbooks on the weekend just for fun. The education of a professional chef can be just varied – be it a formal degree or on-the-job training. On this week's show, we explore culinary learning. We visit the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and speak with educators Dee Lavigne and Anne Willan.

New Orleanians have always loved to cook and to share what they've made with others. So it makes sense that as soon as there was television, there was a Crescent City chef on the screen spreading the good news of New Orleans food. The first was an African American cooking star named Lena Richard, who made her TV debut on WDSU-TV in 1949. Fast forward to today, and it’s tough to tune in to any cooking show and not see a familiar face. This week, three local chefs walk us through the fun and the frenzy of their television encounters.

Since 2021, June 19th – or Juneteenth as it's popularly known – has been a federal holiday commemorating the end of enslavement in the United States. On this week's show, we celebrate the day with a trio of African American chefs who discuss the inspiration they draw from their spiritual ancestors.