“Love In That Pot” 2021... my tribute to Chef Leah Chase of Dooky Chase Restaurant in New Orleans. Part of my 2021 Soul Kitchen short series.
I’ve illustrated her in a version of her red chef’s coat, the color of the coat displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. In the 1960’s Dooky Chase’s was the hub and meeting place of many leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and she liked to say that a lot of problems were solved over a bowl of gumbo.
In addition to roux, Leah used lots of okra to thicken her famous gumbos, so of course I had to include it in my seafood gumbo art (from one of her recipes that I made for Mardi Gras). I also love the little star-shaped okra slices. As a rule, cooks don’t use both okra and filé powder at the same time, so I left the sassafras leaves to decorate the bowl’s border.
One of the things that I love about Chef Leah is that she studied art in school and later became an avid art collector. The restaurant also served as a gallery for the works, and showcased both visual and performing artists.
Chef Leah is included in many pop culture moments. She has a cameo in Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” video. She slapped Barack Obama’s hand when he tried to put hot sauce in her gumbo. And she was the inspiration for Tiana in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.”
Chef Leah Chase died in 2019.
11x14 mixed media drawing (marker, colored pencil, ink, gel pen, acrylic and spray paints) on cradled panel.
I’ve illustrated her in a version of her red chef’s coat, the color of the coat displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. In the 1960’s Dooky Chase’s was the hub and meeting place of many leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and she liked to say that a lot of problems were solved over a bowl of gumbo.
In addition to roux, Leah used lots of okra to thicken her famous gumbos, so of course I had to include it in my seafood gumbo art (from one of her recipes that I made for Mardi Gras). I also love the little star-shaped okra slices. As a rule, cooks don’t use both okra and filé powder at the same time, so I left the sassafras leaves to decorate the bowl’s border.
One of the things that I love about Chef Leah is that she studied art in school and later became an avid art collector. The restaurant also served as a gallery for the works, and showcased both visual and performing artists.
Chef Leah is included in many pop culture moments. She has a cameo in Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” video. She slapped Barack Obama’s hand when he tried to put hot sauce in her gumbo. And she was the inspiration for Tiana in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.”
Chef Leah Chase died in 2019.
11x14 mixed media drawing (marker, colored pencil, ink, gel pen, acrylic and spray paints) on cradled panel.
