stands one of the most historic Creole restaurants

in the city, Dooky Chase.

Customer: This is a Creole icon, in terms of food.

If you want to say that you have truly

had a taste of New Orleans, Dooky Chase is the place.

Alana: From classic gumbo to unique seafood stews,

this 78-year-old spot has helped put

New Orleans cuisine and Southern culture on the map.

Stella Chase-Reese: Dooky Chase's restaurant

has history behind it.

History which we are very, very proud of.

and award-winning chef Leah Chase.

Stella: Our business was started by African American family.

My mother and my father expanded the restaurant

and made it fine dining with very Creole-oriented dishes.

Alana: Leah's story and legacy for amazing Creole food

got Disney's attention,

and she served as the inspiration behind

the 2009 animated film "The Princess and the Frog."

Clip: This is the best gumbo I've ever tasted.

Alana: Dooky Chase has always celebrated diversity.

In fact, it's New Orleans'

only African American establishment

featured in the Negro Motorist Green Book

that's still in operation today.

Throughout the years, it's hosted countless figures,

from presidents to actors to musicians.

Leah died in June 2019, but her family

is continuing Dooky Chase's delicious legacy.

Creole cuisine started in Louisiana

in the early to mid 1800s,

when the territory was still occupied by France.

However, these dishes also combine influences

from a multitude of cultures,

including Spanish, German, West African,

Caribbean, and Choctaw Native American.

The dishes are known for their rich, thick sauces

and bold flavors.

At Dooky Chase's, stuffed shrimp

is one of their best sellers.

Each freshly caught shrimp is stuffed

with a generous serving of crab meat.

The crab is seasoned with a special blend of spices.

They're floured twice in white and yellow flour,

then fried to golden brown.

Customer: You can tell the difference in fresh shrimp,

and I love Dooky's because you get it fresh.

Alana: Another best seller?

Leah Chase's Shrimp Clemenceau.

Stella: She came up with that dish because she said:

"We can't always do fried food.

Everybody doesn't always eat fried food."

Alana: The chef sautés shrimp in wine, butter, and garlic,

then adds in green peas, mushrooms, Irish diced potatoes,

and a sliced strawberry.

It's a very hearty dish, but they brighten it up

with this sliced strawberry, which,

I'm intrigued to see how that'll all go together,

but it smells amazing.

So, the shrimp itself is very buttery and garlicky,

but you're still getting that bite

from the herbs and spices that they use,

and I didn't know if the strawberry

would actually work with this dish,

but it really does, it brightens it up a bit.

And it wouldn't be a Creole restaurant without gumbo.

The gumbo is packed with fresh Louisiana shrimp,

crab, chicken, beef, filé, and smoked andouille sausage.

I'm about to dig into this gumbo.

Oh, that chicken.

The chicken is so moist, oh, my goodness.

It honestly just melts in your mouth.

Even though it's in a stew,

each part of the gumbo is well seasoned.

Stella: Chef Leah Chase, she would tell everybody,

"If you ate my Creole gumbo you can solve any problem."

When President Obama came, what do you think he had?

A bowl of gumbo.

Alana: Dooky Chase has long been a pillar

of great food as well as agents of great change,

and they don't plan on leaving this history in the past.

Stella: We want our parents'

and our family legacy to continue.

Her grandchildren started a foundation

in my mother, Leah Chase, and Edgar Chase's name.

One of our largest projects for 2019

is to open our room upstairs

where all the civil rights people met,

where our community came together and strategized

and tried to figure out ways

in which we can live together in one community.

Alana: Ridiculously flavorful.

I can't speak, I just want to eat.

I really just want to eat this, hold on.