The Southern Fork

Roosevelt Brownlee: Jazz Chef and Soul Food Master (Savannah, GA)


Listen Later

Roosevelt Brownlee lives on the curve of a quiet street in Savannah, GA, the tall stalks of okra in his vegetable garden just visible from the side drive. It’s one of many such streets in the port city, and only a few minutes from the old City Market area where he spent his earliest years. But in between those two Savannah addresses, Roosevelt has traveled the world, from France to Africa, the Caribbean to Denmark, cooking for everyone from Muddy Waters and Stan Getz to Nina Simone and the Rothchild family. His fried chicken was famous in Europe, his family’s red rice recipe honed and tweaked in chateau kitchens. With every deviled crab and pan of mac and cheese, he brought comfort and sustenance to jazz musicians hungry for a taste of home, and at the same time, introduced countless newcomers to the joys of good Southern cooking. Although he’s cooked for much of the last two decades in Savannah kitchens, he’s mostly retired now, though every so often you can see him at special events in the Lowcountry, big hotel spoon in hand, stirring a pan or a pot of something. If that happens, make sure that you get a taste of what he’s cooking. Remember, it’s the true stuff of legend.

Other episodes you might enjoy: 

Mashama Bailey & John Morisano, The Grey and The Grey Market (Savannah, GA)

Adrian Miller, Author and Soul Food Scholar

 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Southern ForkBy Stephanie Burt

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

144 ratings


More shows like The Southern Fork

View all
Good Food by KCRW

Good Food

1,090 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,949 Listeners

The Sporkful by Dan Pashman

The Sporkful

3,903 Listeners

Inside Appalachia by West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Inside Appalachia

248 Listeners

The Kitchen Sisters Present by The Kitchen Sisters & Radiotopia

The Kitchen Sisters Present

1,270 Listeners