Legendary cookbook author Nathalie Dupree often referred to her foodie interns and friends as “my little chickens,” symbolizing her role as the grand dame and mother hen of Southern cooking.
Her Jan. 13 death at age 85 in Raleigh leaves a generational hole in Southern foodways. She connected us to the pork chops, biscuits, butter, greens, field peas and the food staples of the old South, often through the lens of “New Southern Cuisine.”
But the legacy of Dupree, who won four James Beard Awards through the years, is in her cookbooks and how she inspired a new generation of food enthusiasts, from the home cook to contemporary chefs.
Charleston food stylist Ashley Strickland Freeman, a former apprentice, had a typical comment echoed in an array of tributes this week, telling the City Paper that she wouldn’t be where she is in her career without Dupree’s attention and mentoring.
“Nathalie taught me so much — how to write a proper recipe headnote, how to organize a cookbook and to be bold — to make that phone call, take that leap of faith. She loved connecting people and was always so generous — happy to give me advice whenever I needed it and always up for a visit. She was witty and sarcastic and had an amazing sense of humor.”
Yes, Dupree continually paved the way for Southern women who wanted to become chefs and cookbook authors.
Charleston private chef Lauren Furey was an apprentice in 2018 while finishing a degree at the College of Charleston.
“Nathalie took me under her wing and taught me about cooking and life,” Furey recalled. “She always welcomed my questions about recipes and encouraged me to try new things in order to grow. I will spend the rest of my life sharing everything that she has taught me.”
Beyond all of the awards Dupree won through the years, it is this leadership for building the next generation of women culinary professionals that may be her greatest gift. And it’s something we should all take to heart in our professional and personal lives. If there were ever a guide for success recommended by Dupree, it surely would include these dozen maxims:
1. Have fun. 2. Speak your mind. 3. Don’t sweat the small stuff (in life). 4. Follow the recipe (but improvise if you need to). 5. Use real butter. 6. Pay your talents forward. 7. Tell the truth. 8. Get involved in your community. 9. Be prepared. 10. Have grace. 11. Use common sense. 12. Laugh more.
There will be a Charleston tribute to Dupree sometime in the months ahead that perfectly aligns with her values — to generate more money for scholarships to inspire new generations of Southern women in the culinary arts. We hope you’ll help.
Nathalie Dupree was a national treasure. She’s been missed in Charleston since she left a few years ago with husband Jack Bass to be nearer to family in Raleigh. But she was always a phone call away. Now that she’s really gone, the hole in our hearts is even bigger.
Nathalie Evelyn Meyer Dupree, 1939–2025. Rest in peace.
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