Lena Richard facts for kids
Image of the cover of Lena Richard's "New Orleans Cook Book," which was first published by Houghton Mifflin in 1940.
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| Born | Lena Paul September 11, 1892 New Roads, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Died | November 27, 1950 (aged 58) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Cooking style | Creole |
| Education | Fannie Farmer Cooking School |
| Spouse | Percival Richard |
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Television show(s)
Lena Richard's New Orleans Cook Book
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Lena Richard (born September 9, 1892 or 1893 – died November 27, 1950) was an amazing chef, cookbook author, and business owner from New Orleans. She was also a pioneer in television! In 1949, Lena Richard became the first Black woman to host her own cooking show on TV. Her show, Lena Richard's New Orleans Cook Book, aired on the local station WDSU.
Lena Richard learned to cook in New Orleans and later went to a famous cooking school in Boston. After graduating in 1918, she returned home. She soon started her own catering business and opened several restaurants. In 1937, she even opened a cooking school specifically for Black students. Her cookbook, Lena Richard's Cook Book, published in 1939, was the first by a Black author to focus on Creole food from New Orleans.
Contents
Early Life and Learning to Cook
Lena Richard was born Marie Aurina Paul in New Roads, Louisiana, on September 9, 1892. She was one of six children. When she was young, Lena moved to New Orleans with her family. Her mother and aunt worked as cooks for a family named Vairin.
Lena helped her mother and aunt in the kitchen after school. The Vairin family saw her talent and hired her after she finished school. They even helped her go to cooking school! She studied in New Orleans and then at the famous Fannie Farmer Cooking School in Boston. Lena graduated in 1918 and came back to New Orleans ready to start her own cooking journey.
Lena Richard's Culinary Journey
After graduating from cooking school, Lena Richard started her own catering business. Over the next 20 years, she opened many successful businesses. She also worked as a cook at the Orleans Club, a fancy club for white women.
Opening a Cooking School
In 1937, Lena and her daughter, Marie, opened a cooking school together. This school was very important because it trained young Black men and women in cooking. Lena wanted to help them get good jobs in a city where it was often hard for African Americans to find opportunities.
Writing Cookbooks
In 1939, Lena Richard published her first cookbook, Lena Richard’s Cook Book. It was a big success! A year later, a major publisher, Houghton-Mifflin, re-released her book with a new title, New Orleans Cook Book.
Lena traveled to New York City to promote her book. She sold 700 copies in just one month! She was even featured in famous newspapers like The New York Times.
Running Restaurants and Businesses
Lena Richard was also a talented restaurateur. In 1940, she became the head chef at the Bird & Bottle Inn in New York for 18 months. She then returned to New Orleans and opened Lena's Eatery in 1941.
During World War II, from 1943 to 1945, she cooked for important leaders and military officials at the Travis House in Colonial Williamsburg.
In 1946, Lena started an exciting new business: frozen foods! She created fully cooked meals that were packaged and sent all over the United States. Her last restaurant, The Gumbo House, opened in 1949. Her family helped run it, and it stayed open even after she passed away.
A Star on Television
From 1949 to 1950, Lena Richard hosted her own 30-minute cooking show called Lena Richard's New Orleans Cook Book. The show aired twice a week on WDSU, New Orleans' first TV station.
On the show, Lena and her assistant, Marie Matthews, taught viewers how to make recipes from Lena's cookbook. Lena Richard and Marie Matthews were the first African Americans to host a cooking show. This was a huge achievement, especially since not many people even owned a TV back then!
Personal Life
Lena Richard married Percival Richard on July 29, 1914. They had one daughter, Marie Richard. Marie studied Home Economics at Xavier University. She helped her mother open the cooking school in New Orleans in 1937.
Recognition
In 2020, Lena Richard was honored at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. She was one of eight women featured in a special display called "The Only One in the Room." This recognized her as a trailblazer who achieved great things.
