Dooky Chase returns

[TAPrice]

I have it on good authority that Leah Chase will be back cooking at Dooky Chase by Easter.

The traditional gumbo des herbes on Holy Thursday will be a private event for the hundreds of volunteers who helped restore the restaurant. Three-hundred people are on guest the list and they're expecting at least 1,000 to show.

After the Easter Sunday, Dooky Chase will again be open to the public.

I'll update with more info when I get it.

[ludja]

click

...

The president and his wife, Laura, dined with about two dozen others at her restaurant, Dooky Chase, a landmark eatery that was once a gathering place for civil rights leaders and has become famous for traditional Creole cooking. Around the large square table with Bush, federal, state and local officials mixed with athletes, artists, developers and others.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was at the table, as was musician Irvin Mayfield, for a long list of dishes such as crab soup, grilled redfish, shrimp Clemenceau, chicken with oyster dressing and jambalaya.

Bush called them all ``quiet heroes who have helped bring optimism and hope to New Orleans'' after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina two years ago Wednesday. He saluted Chase and her husband, Dooky Chase II, who have renovated the restaurant with its elegant dining rooms, impressive art collection and brilliantly colored walls and plan to finally reopen from the storm's damage in a couple of weeks.

``I know you would want me to say that the food here is about as good as anyplace here in New Orleans,'' Bush said. ``I will say it.''

[TAPrice]

Kim Severson has a good take on the dinner and the controversy it's generated locally.

[ludja]

Kim Severson has a good take on the dinner and the controversy it's generated locally.

←

Thanks, TAPrice. Here's a quote from the article before it disappears:

Many residents say Mr. Bush was late to show up to New Orleans after Katrina and people still complain that there hasn’t been enough federal support for the city. So having the president appear on the storm’s anniversary seems disingenuous to some.

But being inhospitable just isn’t in Leah Chase’s nature. Besides, she said over the phone today, “You might disagree with a person, but as long as he’s your leader I feel he should be treated like a royal highness.’’

The evening, she said, “went beautiful.’’

“If I had neighbors they’d be so surprised because they never had a president come through.’’ She recalled that as a girl she lined up on the sidewalk near her home to see Franklin Roosevelt drive by on his way to Antoine’s in the French Quarter. “To have a president today who reaches out to the people is kind of uplifting.’’

Ms. Chase spent most of the last two years living in a FEMA trailer next to her restaurant in the Tremé neighborhood. It had taken on more than four feet of water.

And still, after all that time, she said, “I have no neighborhood.’’

She and her husband and daughter are the only people on her block. There are two families a block away. That’s it.

Since Ms. Chase is considered the nation’s best Creole cook and certainly the most famous, people around the country have helped her, raising money and joining in the renovation.

Politics aside, I think it's great that they went to a small, family-owned establishment.

Man, I want some crab soup and chicken with oyster dressing... I've never hear of Shrimp Clemenceau.

edited to add: Here's an article with a recipe for Shrimp Clemenceau from Galatoire's: click

Edited August 30, 2007 by ludja (log)

[ludja]

Also, here is an article from a few weeks ago describing the determination, hard work and donations that helped to re-open the restaurant. click

Chase’s tenacity was key to the restaurant’s recovery as was the outpouring of support from friends, family and the legions of fans who vowed not to let Dooky Chase’s become another casualty of Katrina.

Money cobbled together from various sources covered what a $200,000 insurance policy did not. Chase estimates close to half a million dollars went into rebuilding her restaurant.

Oneida donated new dishes and silverware. South Bend Equipment Co. provided a new stove. Starbucks deposited what Chase described as a sizable grant.

A group from Fort Wayne, Ind., provided new chairs. Chef John Folse donated a gleaming new bar. Seedco Financial, a nonprofit lender working on small business recovery in the greater New Orleans area, provided a $20,000 grant and technical expertise to craft a new business plan that takes into account the drastically changed environment for restaurants. The company has encouraged Chase, for example, to market some of her offerings outside the restaurant to help offset the loss of much of her customer base.

Then there were the smaller but equally touching gestures.

“One nun from Baton Rouge sent me $5,” Chase said.

,,,

In its early days, Dooky Chase’s provided one of the few gathering spots available to African-Americans in segregated New Orleans.

For a woman who takes great pride in her self-reliance, the response to Chase’s plight was overwhelming.

“I never had to ask anybody for anything before,” Chase said. Still, if she needed any extra encouragement, she got it.

...

When she reopens, she said she won’t keep a dinner menu in place for more than two weeks. It is part of her ambitious plan to fill more of her restaurant’s 150 seats.

Chase is optimistic when talking about the future of the city she’s called home since she was a teenager.

New Orleans, along with small businesses such as hers, grew complacent over the years, she said. Katrina “was like a warning” to the residents and leaders to “make this city right.”

“I think we’re doing that,” she said. “I think it’s a little slow, maybe. But we’re people. We’re humans.

“It’s gonna work and we’re gonna have a better city.”•

[HungryC]

Any word on when she'll open again for us regular folks?

[TAPrice]

I've told in a few weeks. Then again, I've been told last Easter, and then Jazz Fest. Honestly, I don't know.

[Mayhaw Man]

Well, just for the record, that bunch from DC has been spreading around their generosity at several local restaurants. Last time W was here he ate at Lil Dizzy's, Wayne Baquet's current outpost on Esplanade and then L managed a lunch at the then not open Willie Mae's Scotch House, which is interesting, in that her husband was turned down for a special meal there that would have occurred on the day that he ended up at Lil Dizzie's. I suppose that they both like New Orleans Creole cuisine and bombed out neighborhoods where nobody lives. Who knows. I would hope that, while they were hanging around in the hard hit Treme neighborhood, they both looked across the street at the architecturally pleasing Lafitte Housing Project and called someone to say that it's probably a good idea to redo it instead of tearing it down, but it's hard to tell if they even realized that they were there or not or if anyone pointed them out.

[joiei]

Here is a link from the NYT that reflects the graciousness and what a great Southern Lady Leah Chase is. President Bush was there for dinner last night and John Folse was helping in the kitchen.

It does say near the end of the piece that she expects to be open in about 2 weeks for the public.

Dinner with the president was sort of a soft opening for Dooky Chase. So far, Ms. Chase has only had family dinners there for wedding parties. Within two weeks, though, she hopes to finally open for real.

[Holly Moore]

Any word on Dooky Chase reopening, or has it already?

[TAPrice]

Last I heard it was open Mon-Fri for take out only.

[TAPrice]

Kim Severson of the New York Times visits New Orleans and tries the chicken at both Dooky Chase and Willie Mae's click). This blog entry includes a video of Leah Chase making fried chicken.

[Note: I cross posted this on the Willie Mae thread.]

[Duck Fat]

Dooky Chase's is open, but only for groups. Dooky and Leah are having trouble finding regular help, so a full schedule is proving difficult. Family members are covering for last minute labor shortfalls. I was privleged to dine at Dooky's on Saturday, January 12, 2007 as part of a group organized by California winery Rideau Vineyards.

The restaurant suffered from four or five feet of rancid water, as well as several lootings. However, it is in top shape after months (years!) of work. Even though nothing will ever be the same, it is the determination of people like Leah and Dooky who help make the recovery and rebirth of New Orleans possible.

We were the first group to use the newly-refurbished Bar--no bottles, but plenty of wine.

Regrettably, I did not take pictures of the h'ors d'oeuvres: mountains of fried oysters served po'boy style (in a hollowed out loaf of bread), falling-off-the-bone ribs, and crab pastry. I did, though, fully document the rest of the meal. I apologize in advance if I fail to properly name all the dishes.

We soon moved into the Dining room.

We started our meal with Mirleton (a pear-shaped squash) soup with crabmeat.

After the soup, we were treated to redfish and shrimp salad. The redfish head and tail (complete with cherry tomato eyes and red pepper lips) offered a nice presentation.

Leah Chase made her first appearance with the redfish. An octegenarian, she is full of the kind of energy needed to rebuild both her home and her business after such a loss.

Plated redfish and shrimp salad.

Lemon sorbet with sugared mint leaves made for a lovely intermezzo.

The meal was served family style. Macaroni and cheese, collard greens, paneed veal cutlets, and turduckhen (turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with cornish hen).

Macaroni and cheese--unbelieveable!

Collard greens.

Family style turduckhen, mac and cheese, and collard greens.

A small portion of the first round of the main courses.

The second round quickly appeared on the table.

Candied yams.

Eggplant farci--stuffed with crabmeat.

Dooky Chase, Jr. (Leah named the restaurant after his father, her father-in-law) held court and was an absolutely charming gentleman. It also provided a needed break from all the food.

Dooky and Joe

While the restaurant suffered from multiple lootings, none of the many pieces of artwork were removed. They were also above the floodwaters.

Leah's formal portrait.

Just when we thought we couldn't eat anything else, a blue cheese mousse arrived.

And last but not least (although mercifully small) Creole cream cheesecake and a chocolate strawberry arrived.

Between the food, people, character of the place, and personality of the owners and chef, it was a phenomenal experience. My only regret is that I didn't fast for the two days prior to dining--too much good food was left on the table!

Leah Chase and Duck Fat, who was feeling especially fat at this particular moment.

[TAPrice]

Wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing. I've got to get over there and order some take out.