00:00This restaurant has been here for what, 70, 72 years about, but my mother-in-law started before
00:16me and I just followed in after her. You know, I'm Leah Chase, I guess the cook and co-owner of
00:24this restaurant. I've been in this kitchen, what, 67, almost 68 years, and I'm not going
00:31anywhere, darling. I'm 90 years old and I'll be on this battlefield till I die, so what's
00:37the next one? I'm going to be right in this kitchen. You know, Mr. Obama was always on
00:42the run, so he said, I want some fried chicken, but I don't have time, so I'll eat the gumbo
00:49while you fry the chicken. But Mr. Obama made a big no-no. He put hot stuff in my gumbo,
00:57darling. I said, Mr. Obama, you don't put hot stuff in my gumbo before you taste it, and
01:03my gumbo doesn't need hot stuff. But from Chicago, what you know, poor darling. I'll be here for
01:09many essences. You know, I sat on that tourist commission when we first had essence. That's
01:16been a long time ago, and I would tell them, look, you've got to welcome these people. You've
01:23got to have everything ready, because when we go out, we, I'm talking about us as black
01:29people, we spend money. If we come with $2,000, we spend $2,000. So it's a big thing for our
01:37economy in the city. So now the mayor's all up and go, and we're all happy, and we wait for
01:42you to come so we can see how you look. So it's a great thing. Essence is a wonderful
01:48thing for our city, and I hope you never leave.
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