New Orleans' Edgar “Dook” Chase IV makes Food Network debut | Food/restaurants

In a gastronomic Switcheroo, the New Orleans restaurateur Edgar “Dook” Chase IV made his debut on Thursday evening, but he won't cook a lick.

Rather, the mastermind will be behind several restaurants in Crescent City, including the famous Dookie Chase, as a resident expert for the New Orleans-Shot, the “Freshman Reality Competition” series, “Family Recept Showdown”, at the top of the New Orleans-Shot.

With Chase at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum Set, the actress Octavia Spencer, who was awarded the Oscar, will be in the role of the host.

“Meeting with Octavia on the set, she concentrated me. This is something she does every day. For me, a cook, I know food. I know recipes. I know that this part of it, but in front of a camera, I could learn so much from her,” said Chase last week by phone. “And she not only informed me, she only gave me this self -confidence and this level of comfort. So this connection between me and her collaboration was great.”

Chase and Spencer had initially met a zoom call with part of the “showdown” team. To follow unknown, this was actually his show.

“We started talking about memories in childhood. “There is always a meal experience, there is always a food memory. No matter whether you are a celebrity or a cook, everyone has these memories.”

According to the Synopsis show, “every episode welcomes families in the kitchen because they prepare their most valued recipes for a price of $ 10,000.”

Together, Spencer and Chase will try dishes before they belong to the last round from a rotating jury of Guest judges and Spencers celebrity friends -including Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain, Danielle Brooks, Eric Stonestreet, Tina Knowles, Kandi Burruss, Tim Gunn and Al Roker with his daughter Leila.

In the finished products of the families of the family examinations, the well -elected boss Chase also said that he had digested a few new ideas.

“My grandmother (Leah Chase) was 96 in this restaurant where cookbooks were read. So every day we experience the kitchen of another, the culture of another, the tradition of someone we learn,” he said. “It gave me a quick look at how other people grew up. What were their celebrations? In what times had they grew up? What meals did they have on this occasion? What meals did you have on this occasion?

“And you learn from it and take it from it. As a cook, I learned from every dish that was shown in front of me.”

Despite all the estimated recipes of the Chase family, it didn't take long to answer which he brought to the show when he started.

His choice makes sense: Gumbo.

Anyone who has cooked a gumbo confirmed chase, knows that they cannot cook a small saucepan. Therefore, it is a need to invite people to the table to enjoy the dish.

“My grandmother often said Gumbo contributed to changing America's course. Even from the days of civil rights when they had the leaders, both black and white, we fed Gumbo to them,” said Chase. “We fed Gumbo to President and celebrities who came through this door. Our neighbors, our community, we fed gumbo. Greeting people after natural disasters, we have fed gumbo to celebrate.”

After Chase has had experience in the camera through his “showdown” scene in the camera, he will have more eye on projects in the future.

“I love what this (show) means, what food does for people, and the memories they grew up,” he said. “These memories last for a lifetime. They want every generation to have the same memories or experiences with which they grew up. So I hope that this show will continue. I hope to be part of it because I think it is so important.”