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Tony Chachere's
The legendary Tony Chachere was one of the most colorful characters in Louisiana folk history. Born Anthony Chachere in 1905 in the little town of Opelousas, his parents were the descendants of French Creoles.
After becoming a registered pharmacist, Tony spent his late 20's as a wholesale drug salesman by day and developed his own formulas by night. He borrowed $100 from a friend to begin his own wholesale drug business under the label Ladco for Louisiana Drug Company. Older Louisianians can still remember the radio jingles for two of his most popular products, an elixir called Mamou Cough Syrup and an insect spray called Bon Soir Bug. In only a few years, that borrowed $100 turned into a million and Tony achieved his goal of retiring at age 50.
During the 1950's, he became one of 24 charter members of a men's cooking club called Cooks Unlimited. The group held gourmet suppers twice a month, with each member taking his turn as chef du jour. It was through this experience that Tony, always striving to outdo his cohorts, earned the nickname "Ole Master".
After 2 leisurely years of hunting, fishing and cooking, Tony began a new career in insurance sales as an Equitable Life agent. In his very first year, he achieved the Millionaire's Roundtable designation and did every year thereafter for 13 years. In 1970, he received the company's highest honor when he was inducted into the Equitable Hall of Fame. Tony retired for the second time at age 65.
Trading in his salesman hat for an apron, Tony headed out to his backyard kitchen, determined to compile a book of beloved South Louisiana cuisine. Two years later, Tony published Cajun Country Cookbook and sold the first 10,000 copies in only a week. The cookbook became known for its traditional Louisiana dishes, like gumbo, jambalaya and etouffee. Also included in the first edition was the recipe for his favorite seasoning blend, Creole Seasoning and he touted that one recipe alone was "worth the price of the book".
Tony had such a strong following for the seasoning that he decided to manufacture it himself and his small food company with 4 employees was born. Today, Tony Chachere's Creole Foods is still run by the Chachere family and still operates out of the Lombard Street facility in Opelousas, though it is now 40,000 square feet with 55 employees.
Tony semi-retired from the operations of his food company in 1981 at age 76. He continued to perfect his recipes and to develop new food products. A glowing climax to his career in the culinary arts came in March 1995 when his colleagues in the American Culinary Federation honored him as the first inductee in the Louisiana Chefs Hall of Fame. He died one week later, three months shy of his 90th birthday.
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