NEW ORLEANS — As it has for decades, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in Treme served Chef Leah Chase’s traditional gumbo z’herbes on this Holy Thursday, only this year it was for take-out orders only.
This was also the first Holy Thursday without the legendary matriarch of the restaurant, who died June 1 at the age of 96.
The Chase family has also suffered loss due to coronavirus. Mrs. Chase's daughter Stella Chase Reese lost her husband, well-known high school football coach Wayne Reese, who died last week from coronavirus complications.
Gumbo z’herbes, which The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate restaurant critic Ian McNulty describes as “a hearty, murky mix of greens, meat, roux, Creole flavor and Catholic faith,” is served only one day a year at Dooky Chase – on Holy Thursday.
Under normal circumstances, diners would pack the restaurant for gumbo z’herbes and fried chicken at lunch today, with three full seatings taking up every table and the take-out counter bustling as well.
This year, because of restaurant closures due to COVD-19, there was only the take-out and curbside pickup business, lovingly overseen by her children, grandchildren, other family members and restaurant staff.
On Thursday, the family - wearing masks to protect themselves and their customers - said it was important to them to keep the Holy Thursday tradition alive, even with the restaurant closed to patrons and without their beloved mother and grandmother there in the kitchen.
"We want to continue the legacy of my grandparents but also the most important is to keep everybody safe and give some hope and feed our community as we've done for 79 years so that's most important for our family and what keeps us going," said Edgar "Dook" Chase IV, Mrs. Chase's grandson.
The line of cars snaked around the block with customers lined up starting at 11 a.m. to pick up orders of gumbo and fried chicken.
MORE: Kit Wohl shares Leah Chase's gumbo z'herbes recipe
Gumbo z’herbes is made with at least nine types of greens - including collard greens, turnip greens, watercress, beet tops and more. Legend has it the number of greens in the gumbo will equal the number of new friends you’ll make after you eat.
Besides being open for Holy Thursday, Dooky Chase’s is offering a take-out menu and family style dishes on a daily basis.
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