Paul Prudhomme '94 HDR

Born and raised on a farm near Opelousas in Louisiana's Acadiana country, Paul Prudhomme was the youngest of 13 children. At age seven, he was old enough to help his mother in the kitchen, and it was at her side that he learned the value of fresh, quality products. "We didn't have electricity, so of course there was no refrigeration. Therefore, we used only what was fresh and in season. I learned to appreciate herbs and vegetables right from the garden, freshly slaughtered chickens, and fish and crawfish just caught in nearby streams and bayous. This bounty, plus my mother's natural talent as a cook, our whole family's love of cooking and eating, and the joy we shared at meals, all influenced me as a chef," he said.

From a very early age, Prudhomme knew that he wanted to make preparing food his life's work. After completing school, he traveled working as a cook, and learning as much as he could about the ingredients and styles of cooking in different parts of the country. "Sometimes, when I thought the food was too bland, I'd sneak in a few dried herbs and spices," he said. "When customers complimented the dishes from my station, I'd try to remember exactly what I'd used, but that was hard, so I began keeping little notes on good mixes in my pockets. Sometimes I'd get caught, and this didn't make me popular with the head chefs."

His wanderlust temporarily satisfied, Prudhomme came to New Orleans, where he honed his skills and built a following at a noted Garden District restaurant. In 1979, he and his late wife, K Hinrichs Prudhomme, opened K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. A small restaurant on Chartres Street in the French Quarter, it was originally envisioned as a casual eatery for local customers. Word soon spread of the magic being created in the little kitchen, and it wasn't long before customers, both natives and tourists, began lining up to sample the amazing dishes.

Now one of this country's best-known chefs, Prudhomme has often appeared on national television. He's been on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, 20/20, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC Nightly News, Larry King Live, Nightwatch with Charlie Rose, and the QVC shopping channel.

His first cookbook, Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen, was on the New York times bestseller list and includes recipes created originally for the restaurant. With his siblings and their spouses he produced The Prudhomme Family Cookbook, which contains their down-home recipes and a lively account of their cultural heritage. In Seasoned America Prudhomme imparts his inimitable touch to traditional recipes gleaned from his nationwide travel, and in Fork In The Road he offers ways to prepare familiar-tasting dishes with greatly reduced fat and cholesterol, and without dependence on refined sugars.

Chef Paul Prudhomme's Pure Magic is the only cookbook that specifically designates Magic Seasoning Blends in each recipe, while Fiery Foods That I Love contains recipes that fire up the imagination and taste buds. Kitchen Expedition, takes the reader/cook on an adventure inspired by cooking lessons he took from chefs and meals he enjoyed on his worldwide travels. Prudhomme’s eighth cookbook, Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Tastes, released in early Spring 2000, gives the reader a better understanding of exactly how the cooking process works. Prudhomme also fuses exciting ingredients from around the world with traditional Louisiana methods and foods, creating dishes that are as much fun to prepare as they are to eat. Four of these cookbooks - Fork In The Road, Fiery Foods That I Love, Kitchen Expedition and Louisiana Kitchen - can be enjoyed as cooking videos and public TV series.

The first American-born chef to receive the coveted Merité Agricole of the French Republic, in 1986 Prudhomme was honored as "Culinarian of the Year" by the American Culinary Federation. He has written and been featured in prominent national magazines, and he and his staff have cooked for heads of state, President Ronald Reagan's inauguration, and at the Congressional Barbecue.

Never content to rest on his laurels, however, and always eager to learn, Prudhomme continues to travel, to experiment, to make personal appearances, and to develop delicious new recipes.