The Chase IV of New Orleans “DOOK” makes its debut on the food network | Food / restaurants

In a gastronomic switcheroo, the restaurant owner of New Orleans Edgar “Dook” Chase IV made his debut on the food network on Thursday evening, but he will not cook a lick.

On the contrary, the brain behind several places of catering Crescent City, including the famous Dookie Chase, will be at the front and at the center as a resident Expert for the New Year’s New Year series series of New Orleans, “Family Recipe Showdown”.

Award -winning actress Octavia Spencer, the award -winning actress of the Oscars, Octavia Spencer, will join Chase on all Octavia Spencer, in the role of host.

“Octavia’s meeting on the set, she concentrated me. It is something she is doing day after day. For me, a chef, I know the food. I know recipes. I know that, but in front of a camera, I was able to learn so much from her,” said Chase by phone last week. “And not only did she taught me, she just gave me this confidence and this level of comfort. So, this connection of me and that she worked together was great.”

Chase and Spencer had initially met practically on a zoom call with part of the “Showdown” team. Unbeknownst to Chase, it was in fact his audition for a show.

“We started talking about the food of childhood memories. I shared it, and Octavia had shared it. And when you start talking about food and childhood memories, you realize how similar we are,” recalls Chase. “There is always a food experience, there is always a food memory. No matter if you are a celebrity or you are a chief, everyone has these memories.”

According to the Synopsis program, “each episode welcomes family duets in the kitchen as they prepare their most expensive recipes for a price of $ 10,000”.

Together, Spencer and Chase will taste dishes before being joined during the final round by a rotary panel of guest judges and famous friends from Spencer – notably Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain, Danielle Brooks, Eric Stoneetreet, Tina Knowles, Kandi Burruss, Tim Gunn and Al Roker with her daughter Leila.

By testing the taste of the finished products of families, even the well -seasoned chief Chase said that he had digested some new ideas.

“My grandmother (Leah Chase) was 96 years old in this restaurant reading cooking books. So every day we experience someone else’s cuisine, someone else’s culture, someone else’s tradition we learn,” he said. “It gave me an overview of how the others grew up. What were their celebrations? What were the moments when they had grown? What meals did they have on this occasion? What meals did they have on this occasion?

“And you learn and you get it. So, as a chef, yes, I learned from each dish that was displayed in front of me.”

Even with all the precious recipes of the Chase family, it did not take him long to answer which he would bring to the show if he was in competition.

His choice is significant: Gumbo.

Anyone who has baked a okra, said Chase, knows that you cannot cook a small pot, so it’s a need to invite people to the table to enjoy the dish.

“My grandmother often said that Gumbo had helped change the course of America. Even from the days of civil rights where you had the leaders, in black and white, to cross this door, we nourished them Gumbo,” said Chase. “The presidents and celebrities who have passed through this door, we have nourished them from Gumbo. Our neighbors, our community, we have nourished them.

Having acquired camera experience throughout his stay “Showdown”, Chase has an eye on more such projects in the future.

“I love what this (show) means, to what food does for people and to evoke these memories they have growing up,” he said. “These memories last a whole life. You want each generation to have the same memories or experiences with which you have grown up. So I hope this show will continue. I hope to be part because I think it is so important.”