Beyond New Orleans’ French Quarter

Remembering Chef Leah Chase (Jan. 6, 1923 – June 1, 2019).

The soul of New Orleans extends far beyond Bourbon Street and the jazz clubs of the French Quarter. In this episode of World Footprints, we explore the heartbeat of the Big Easy through its people, neighborhoods, and lesser-known cultural gems.

At the time of this recording, the city was still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Yet even amid hardship, New Orleans continued to celebrate life with resilience, joy, and creativity. Few embodied that spirit more than the legendary Chef Leah Chase, the Queen of Creole Cuisine.

A Conversation with Chef Leah Chase

We were honored to sit down with Chef Leah Chase of the iconic Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. Known far beyond New Orleans, she became a culinary and cultural icon whose kitchen doubled as a meeting place for civil rights leaders, artists, and presidents. Her influence even inspired Disney—Chef Leah was the real-life muse behind Princess Tiana, the first African-American Disney princess in The Princess and the Frog.

Museums Beyond the French Quarter

New Orleans is a city layered with history, and much of that history is preserved in museums tucked away from the tourist path. Our journey takes listeners to two important but often overlooked institutions:

• The Free People of Color Museum – illuminating the stories of a community that shaped New Orleans’ identity long before emancipation.

• New Orleans African American Museum – preserving the cultural legacy of African descendants in the Crescent City.

These spaces tell the fuller story of New Orleans, one that expands far beyond the French Quarter’s familiar landmarks.

Walking Through Tremé & Experiencing Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar

We also take a walk through Tremé, one of the oldest African American neighborhoods in the United States and the birthplace of jazz. Every street corner carries a rhythm, every home a history.

And no visit to New Orleans would be complete without a stop at the legendary Carousel Bar inside the Hotel Monteleone. This rotating bar has been a literary haunt for writers like Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway, offering a timeless blend of history, cocktails, and conversation.

New Orleans: A Living Cultural Gumbo

New Orleans is more than a destination—it’s a cultural gumbo of resilience, music, food, and heritage. From museums that honor untold stories to neighborhoods like Tremé that gave the world jazz, the treasures of the Crescent City reach far beyond the French Quarter.

In this episode, World Footprints takes you on an audio journey to discover these deeper layers of New Orleans—where the past and present come together in a celebration of life, history, and community.

Post Script: the food at Dooky Chase was fabulous and Chef Leah was incredibly gracious and kind.  R.I.P. Chef Leah

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