Leah Chase, a civil rights activist and famed New Orleans restaurateur dubbed the "Queen of Creole Cuisine," died on Saturday, her family announced Sunday. She was 96.
The award-winning chef started out as a server in the French Quarter, before marrying her husband, jazz musician Edgar "Dooky" Chase Jr., in 1946. Together, they revamped his father's sandwich shop, turning it into the legendary sit-down spot Dooky Chase's Restaurant. The establishment was known for showcasing work by black artists, and, at odds with the segregation laws of the time, seating black and white patrons together. In the restaurant, organizers held NAACP meetings and worked on black voter registration, CNN reports.
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