Leah Chase
Encyclopedia
Leah Chase is a New Orleans chef, author and television personality. A daughter of the same name is a professional singer; see Leah Chase (singer).
Known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, Chase promoted African American art
and Creole cooking. Her restaurant, Dooky Chase, was known as a gathering place during the 1960s among many who participated in the Civil Rights movement; and, her restaurant was known as a gallery due to its extensive African American Art collection.
Chase has been the recipient of a multitude of awards and honors. In her 2002 biography, Chase's awards and honors occupy over two pages. Chase was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's
Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America in 2010. She was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Southern Foodways Alliance in 2000. Chase received honorary degrees from Tulane University
, Dillard University
, Our Lady of Holy Cross College
, Madonna College, Loyola University New Orleans
, and Johnson & Wales University
. She was awarded Times-Picayune Loving Cup Award in 1997. The Southern Food and Beverage Museum
in New Orleans, Louisiana
named a permanent gallery in Chase's honor in 2009.
Leah Chase was born to Creole
parents in Madisonville, Louisiana
, United States
. When Chase was 14 years old, she moved to New Orleans
to live with relatives and attend St. Mary's Academy
. After high school, Chase worked in the Colonial Restaurant in the French Quarter
in New Orleans. In 1945, she married musician Edgar "Dooky" Chase II, whose parents owned the Dooky Chase Restaurant. Chase began working at the restaurant during the 1950s and, over time, she eventually converted the menu to reflect her own family's Creole recipes. She also developed an interest in African American art and began to display dozens of paintings by local African American artists.
The gumbo z'herbes prepared and served on Holy Thursday by Leah Chase, owner of Dooky Chase Restaurant and widely considered one of the greats of Creole cuisine, is one that uses this "kitchen sink" approach.
Dooky Chase's 5th Ward
location was flooded by Hurricane Katrina
and was not scheduled to reopen until the summer of 2006. To save Chase's African-American art collection from damage, her grandson placed the art collection in storage. The New Orleans restaurant community got together on April 14, 2006 (Holy Thursday) to hold a benefit, charging $75 to $500 per person for a gumbo z'herbes, fried chicken, and bread pudding lunch at a posh French Quarter restaurant. The guests consumed 50 gallons of gumbo and raised $40,000 for the 82-year-old Mrs. Chase. Dooky Chase restaurant was scheduled to open April 5, 2007. It opened mostly for take-out and special events due to shortage of trained waitstaff.
Leah Chase hosts a cooking show devoted to Creole cooking, and she is the author of several cookbooks.
Known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, Chase promoted African American art
African American art
African American art is a broad term describing the visual arts of the American black community . Influenced by various cultural traditions, including those of Africa, Europe and the Americas, traditional African American art forms include the range of plastic arts, from basket weaving, pottery,...
and Creole cooking. Her restaurant, Dooky Chase, was known as a gathering place during the 1960s among many who participated in the Civil Rights movement; and, her restaurant was known as a gallery due to its extensive African American Art collection.
Chase has been the recipient of a multitude of awards and honors. In her 2002 biography, Chase's awards and honors occupy over two pages. Chase was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York-based national professional non-profit organization named in honor of James Beard that serves to promote the culinary arts by honoring chefs, wine professionals, journalists, and cookbook authors at annual award ceremonies and providing scholarships and...
Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America in 2010. She was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Southern Foodways Alliance in 2000. Chase received honorary degrees from Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, Dillard University
Dillard University
Dillard University is a private, historically black liberal arts college in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1930 incorporating earlier institutions that went back to 1869, it is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church....
, Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Our Lady of Holy Cross College is a liberal arts college in New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:OLHCC was founded in 1916 as a two year normal school by the Marianites of Holy Cross. Its original location was in the Bywater area of New Orleans. It became a 4 year institution in 1938. In 1947, a ...
, Madonna College, Loyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...
, and Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University is a private, nonprofit, co-educational, career-oriented university with four campuses located throughout the United States. Providence, Rhode Island, USA, is home to JWU's first and largest of four currently operating campuses. Founded as a business school in 1914, by...
. She was awarded Times-Picayune Loving Cup Award in 1997. The Southern Food and Beverage Museum
Southern Food and Beverage Museum
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is a non-profit museum based in New Orleans, Louisiana with a mission to explore the culinary history of the American Southern states, to explain the roots of Southern food and drinks...
in New Orleans, Louisiana
New 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...
named a permanent gallery in Chase's honor in 2009.
Leah Chase was born to Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
parents in Madisonville, Louisiana
Madisonville, Louisiana
Madisonville is a town in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 677 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. When Chase was 14 years old, she moved to New Orleans
New 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...
to live with relatives and attend St. Mary's Academy
St. Mary's Academy (New Orleans, Louisiana)
St. Mary's Academy is an all-girls Roman Catholic parochial high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans.-External links:*...
. After high school, Chase worked in the Colonial Restaurant in the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
in New Orleans. In 1945, she married musician Edgar "Dooky" Chase II, whose parents owned the Dooky Chase Restaurant. Chase began working at the restaurant during the 1950s and, over time, she eventually converted the menu to reflect her own family's Creole recipes. She also developed an interest in African American art and began to display dozens of paintings by local African American artists.
The gumbo z'herbes prepared and served on Holy Thursday by Leah Chase, owner of Dooky Chase Restaurant and widely considered one of the greats of Creole cuisine, is one that uses this "kitchen sink" approach.
5th Ward of New Orleans
The 5th Ward or Fifth Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.-Boundaries:The roughly "L" shaped ward stretches through the city from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain. The lower boundary is St. Philip Street, across which is the 6th...
location was flooded by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and was not scheduled to reopen until the summer of 2006. To save Chase's African-American art collection from damage, her grandson placed the art collection in storage. The New Orleans restaurant community got together on April 14, 2006 (Holy Thursday) to hold a benefit, charging $75 to $500 per person for a gumbo z'herbes, fried chicken, and bread pudding lunch at a posh French Quarter restaurant. The guests consumed 50 gallons of gumbo and raised $40,000 for the 82-year-old Mrs. Chase. Dooky Chase restaurant was scheduled to open April 5, 2007. It opened mostly for take-out and special events due to shortage of trained waitstaff.
Leah Chase hosts a cooking show devoted to Creole cooking, and she is the author of several cookbooks.
Cookbooks by Leah Chase
- The Dooky Chase Cookbook (1990) ISBN 0-88289-661-X
- And I Still Cook (2003) ISBN 1-56554-823-X
- Down Home Healthy : Family Recipes of Black American Chefs (1994) ISBN 0-16-045166-3
External links
- Leah Chase New Orleans Online
- Lifetime Achievement Award - Leah Chase Southern Foodways Alliance (2000)
- Allen, Carol Listen, I Say Like This (biography of Leah Chase) (2002)ISBN 1-58980-048-6
- Leah Chase of Dooky Chase Restaurant St. Mary's Academy Newsletter
- Can New Orleans Get Cooking Again? Los Angeles Daily News (November 8, 2005)
- Leah Chase's oral history video excerpts at The National Visionary Leadership Project
- Audio interview with Leah Chase, New Orleans PodCasting (November 21, 2006)
- "Mrs. Leah Chase" article, Where Y'At Magazine, July 2008