Secrets Of A Tastemaker: Al Copeland

Rose, Chris

Wohl, Kit

"His restaurants brought Cajun cuisine to a whole new audience. Copeland's restaurants are now known around the country as the first in a lasting genre." —Chef Emeril Lagasse

"Al Copeland always chose to be a winner. He defined his brand and understood that bold flavors and consistency were paramount to his success." —Chef Paul Prudhomme

"I know rich, and I know poor. I know what it's like to be busted, and I don't want to be there again. It's my greatest driving force." Al Copeland —People Magazine

"It's as though Popeyes had grown up and moved, if not Uptown, then 'up market,' a notch. . .or three. Best of all, a menu that seemed utterly derivative (a "Cajun's Greatest Hits "album) has produced dishes that are fresh, different, and exciting." —The Times-Picayune

Over one hundred recipes for a party in your mouth and spicy delicious memories. .

Al Copeland parlayed success as founder of Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken into Copeland's Restaurants of New Orleans, introducing even more offbeat and ground-breaking ideas into the international restaurant scene. Al, Jr., his son, has followed as an innovator and creative driving force. They melded their Cajun and Creole cooking heritage into methods, combinations, and techniques as the art and love of cooking.

Rags to riches

His hi-jinks and low moments were the stuff of a folk hero. Secrets of a Tastemaker is an insider's look at a life of bravado and street smarts. "He wasn't just a lightning rod for attention. He was the lightning itself. He was a provocateur: ambitious, outspoken, and cocksure," says Chris Rose. "Al's taste for flash was refined, almost sublime."