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IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIaM Chef Paul P rudhomme by Chris Rose + photo by Frank Aymami

the passing of his friend: “I first worked with Chef Paul when we opened Rouses #4 in Houma in 1985. Customers lined up to meet him. Chef Paul appeared in our commercials and, of course, we’ve always sold his products. He was a great chef, a great man, and true innovator who put Cajun food on the international map.” The worldmourns the passing of a great chef, a good man and a true legend. Meanwhile, redfish all over the world breath a sigh of relief.

T here are many words of praise and superlative accolades one could impart upon the legendary chef Paul Prudhomme — and we’ve heard a great many over the past several weeks — but I think my favorite aspect of his character was this: He was never photographed without a smile on his face. Check it out.Look throughhis press clippings. Search the archives.Google it. I challenge you to find a picture of the boisterous, gregarious restaurateur in which he does not have that huge smile on his face — every bit as much of his trademark as his blackened redfish and his signature white flat cap toque. It was as if it had been surgically attached to his face, a permanent expression of good cheer and joie de vivre that exuded the very core, essence and soulful style of Louisiana living. His was the face of Cajun hospitality. It’s one thing to be a chef who wows youwith his savvy cooking skills, mastery of flavor combinations and artful presentations; it’s a whole ‘nuther kettle of fish when his personality alone has the power to make your food taste better. Such was the way with the late, great Paul Prudhomme, a true Louisiana icon and irrepressible cultural ambassador, who passed away at his home in NewOrleans inOctober. Although it seemed as if he had been around since the dawn of cast iron and cayenne pepper, he was just 75-years-old. A native of Opelousas, Louisiana, a scion of the Acadian prairie, Chef Paul literally revolutionized the concept of dining in New Orleans, and therefore the world. He was among the vanguard of the American celebrity chef culture — a telegenic, natural born raconteur and entertainer. To say he was one of a kind is not only a cliché, but obvious. To call him an innovator short sells his profound influence on dining culture not only in Louisiana, but also around the world. When he became the first American- born executive chef to take over the kitchen at Commander’s Palace restaurant in New

Orleans in 1975,he changed the way America cooks, eats and generally enjoys life. His protégés included Emeril Lagasse and Frank Brigtsen, among many others. He also opened what was arguably the first popup restaurant, in New York City, in 1985. City residents lined up for blocks for a taste of this crazy new trend in dining: Cajun food. The city’s health department threatened to close him down and put him in jail. The “Gumbo War” was front-page news in Gotham City. It took the intervention of then-mayor Ed Koch to reach accord between the city and the chef. After Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures, Chef Paul came to town to cook for first responders and locals in need. For this, Bon Appetit magazine awarded him their Humanitarian Award in 2006 And lastly, it should be noted, Prudhomme was a great friend of the Rouses family and business. Said Donald Rouse, about “Chef Paul taught us that laughter is as important an ingredient in a meal as any sauce, spice or condiment.”

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