Edgar “Dook” Chase IV Trades Kitchen for Commentary Role on Food Network’s “Family Recipe Showdown”
New Orleans restaurateur Edgar “Dook” Chase IV, a culinary icon and heir to the legacy of the famed Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, is making his national television debut this Thursday night – not as a chef, but as a resident expert on the new Food Network reality competition series, “Family Recipe Showdown.”
The show, filmed at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, centers around family duos battling it out in the kitchen for a $10,000 prize, showcasing cherished recipes and the stories behind them. Chase will lend his expertise alongside host Octavia Spencer, the Academy Award-winning actress.
Chase described the experience of working with Spencer as invaluable. “Meeting Octavia on set, she focused me,” he said. “This is something that she does day in and day out. For me, a chef, I know food. I know recipes. I know that part of it, but in front of a camera, I was able to learn so much from her. And, not only did she teach me, she just gave me that confidence and that comfort level. So that connection of me and her working together was great.”
The collaboration began unexpectedly with a virtual meeting initially presented as an audition. Chase recalled a conversation centered around childhood food memories, a shared experience that quickly established a rapport. “When you start talking about food and childhood memories, you realize how similar we all are growing up,” he explained. “There’s always a food experience, there’s always a food memory. No matter if you are a celebrity or you’re a chef, everyone has those memories.”
“Family Recipe Showdown” will feature a rotating panel of celebrity guest judges joining Spencer in the final round, including Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain, Danielle Brooks, Eric Stonestreet, Tina Knowles, Kandi Burruss, Tim Gunn, and Al Roker with his daughter Leila.
Even as a seasoned chef, Chase found himself learning from the contestants’ dishes. “My grandmother (Leah Chase) was 96 in that restaurant reading cookbooks. So every day, we experience someone else’s cuisine, someone else’s culture, someone else’s tradition we’re learning,” he said. “It gave me a sneak peek of how other people grew up. What were their celebrations? What were the times that they were having growing up? What meals did they have at this occasion?” He emphasized the value of understanding the cultural context behind food, noting that each dish offered a window into a family’s history and traditions.
When asked which recipe he would contribute if he were a contestant, Chase didn’t hesitate: gumbo. He explained that gumbo, by its very nature, is a communal dish. “Anyone who’s cooked a gumbo knows you cannot cook a small pot, so it’s a necessity to invite people to the table to enjoy the dish,” he said. He further highlighted the dish’s historical significance, recalling his grandmother’s belief that “gumbo helped change the course of America,” serving as a gathering place for leaders during the Civil Rights Movement and welcoming countless guests, from presidents to neighbors, over the years.
Having enjoyed his initial foray into television, Chase expressed interest in future on-camera projects. “I love what this (show) means, to what food does for people and conjuring up those memories that they have growing up,” he said. “Those memories last a lifetime. You want each generation to have the same memories or experiences that you grew up with. So I hope this show continues on. I hope to be a part of it because I think this one is that important.”
