Remembering Katrina, 20 Years Later

Leah Chase at Dooky Chase Restaurant after the storm. (Poppy Tooker)

Twenty years ago, on August 29th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina violently swept through New Orleans. The storm and subsequent levee failures brought chaos and devastation to the city and surrounding areas. On this week's show, as we mark two decades since Katrina, we explore how New Orleans residents and businesses were able to respond quickly and creatively to rebuild our city.

We begin with Richard McCarthy, co-founder and former executive director of Market Umbrella – and its flagship, the Crescent City Farmers Market. Richard and host Poppy Tooker reflect on their experiences during those uncertain days following the storm and the grassroots effort that led to the market reopening just ten weeks later.

Next, we turn to the late New Orleans icon Leah Chase. We revisit inspirational conversations we had with the beloved chef at Dooky Chase Restaurant about the unexpected gifts of Katrina.

Finally, as Natco Food Service celebrates its centennial this year, we learn about one of the most difficult chapters in its history. Family proprietors Anne Babin and her brother John Lalla tell us the story of what happened at their meat-filled facility in the hurricane's aftermath and how the company bounced back.