NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The James Beard Foundation says it is awarding Leah Chase, who has been dubbed the "Queen of Creole Cuisine," with the organization's 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.
The foundation said in a news release Thursday that Chase will be honored during a ceremony May 2 in Chicago.
Chase and her husband Edgar run Dooky Chase's Restaurant in New Orleans which is named after her husband.
The foundation cited her contribution to Creole cooking, African-American art and music and civil rights.
During segregation, the restaurant became a meeting place for both black and white activists in the civil rights movement. The foundation also said Chase's recipes for dishes like gumbo, jambalaya and fried chicken are now kitchen staples.
Chase said in the news release that she was "overwhelmed" to receive the award.
