Leah Chase: Creating with What You've Got

·26 min·2 clips

Leah Chase, a chef who squeezed everything she could out of life, discovered food could change minds and bring people together.

The episode begins with a promotional segment for an e-book collaboration between Rebel Girls and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, highlighting women with disabilities in STEM. It then transitions to the main story about Leah Chase, a chef known for her resourcefulness. The narrative starts in Leah's childhood on a large plot of land in Madisonville, Louisiana, where her father grew extensive gardens to feed their family of 16. Leah recalls a summer morning when she accompanied her father fishing, learning his secret method using chicken skin and soap to catch catfish and crabs. The story builds toward a big Sunday dinner for 80 family members. Leah's mother demonstrates creativity by having her daughters embroider flour sacks into a tablecloth and build kites from cypress bark, crepe paper, and homemade paste. Leah expresses skepticism multiple times but participates in the preparations. In the kitchen, her mother combines chopped vegetables from the garden with the previous day's catch to make a large pot of gumbo. The episode culminates with the family gathering under cypress trees, enjoying the kites, tablecloth, and gumbo. Leah reflects on the lesson that happiness requires imagination, a willing heart, and a few seeds. The episode is produced by Rebel Girls, based on their book series, with credits to the production team.

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