Comments on: Great Chefs of New Orleans: Austin Leslie

By: Steven Ripple

Steven Ripple — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:29:41 +0000

I visited the restaurant in 1991. I loved the show Franks Place, but I don’t recall if that was my main reason, or if it was in search of New Orleans ‘Soul’ food. Anyway, I was greated by Austin. I don’t know what else I had, but my memory includes wonderful smothered cabbage with pickled pig tails. Ummm. I think the waitress was a little surprised that I, neither southern, nor black ordered it (little did she know about my german relative love of pig tails and cabbage albiet fermented!).

He was a gracious host, although not at all modest. I purhcased his little book, and he signed it with a little drawing of himself. Of all my memories of the City, my evening at Chez Helene’s remains at the top.

Thanks Austin. You are remembered and appreciated. Rest Well.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:01:25 +0000

This may mean nothing to you, but my aunt and uncle’s last name was Dejan, not Dejean. Just thought you might want to know.

By: Leslie DeJean Nailer

Leslie DeJean Nailer — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:47:28 +0000

My uncle was the godfather of fried chicken,so I will keep his fried chicke n and recipes alive here in ATLANTA 5046386878 lagnappie@yahoo.com

By: Caroline Marx

Caroline Marx — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:54:31 +0000

We were at Pampy’s 2 weeks before the hurricane. Austin came out of the back to hang out, tell stories and draw fabulous charicatures of himself on our paper tablecloth. We frequented Jacques Imo’s during the Austin days then of course followed him when he left for Pampys. Who wouldn’t, we’d never had fried chicken like that in our lives. He told us about his recent visit to a culinary school where he taught them his secrets. He believed that his gift needed to be shared and passed down through the young-ins. He then called out for his Apprentice whom he had meticulously trained at Pampy’s and whom he felt really understood his famous fried chicken recipe we all hung out a little longer finishing up with his also famous Bread Pudding. Austin then ask his Apprentice to go to his car and grab us a couple of copies of his cookbook which he promptly autographed (with self-characture), added his cell phone number and we talked about the possibility of having them cook for my film crew. I was in Los Angeles when I got the devistating news of his passing. To this day I always smile when I drive by Pampy’s or pick up my cookbook and will never forget that last night we got to hang out. By the way we kept that paper tablecloth too.
I’ve tried to find his young Apprentice whom Austin passed his gift several times over the last year and a half to no avail–unfortunately we couldn’t remember his name and all of the people we knew who had that connection are no where to be found or have relocated. Do you happen to know his name or where he might be found cooking these days?

By: Bill Zimmerman

Bill Zimmerman — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 23:19:06 +0000

This anniversary of the flooding at New Orleans got me to thinking about Chez Helene’s and the wonderful food I’ve had there. Of course, Chef Austin came to mind. Until I made a search on the internet I was not aware of Austin’s passing. One more sad event and a major one, to be sure, for all who remember the good times at New Orleans.

By: melissa garland

melissa garland — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 18:39:40 +0000

you should make a book of this series. I’d buy it!

By: Danno

Danno — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 22:11:57 +0000

Thanks Jill, Bill and I are learning a lot while doing the research, as well as having a lot of fun.

By: jillian

jillian — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 06:21:30 +0000

Great Idea!