Remembering Natalie Dupree

Travel With Annita started as Travel With Annita. It was a bright sunny day in Georgia on March 9, 2013 when the first show aired on WDUN. The excitement I felt along with fellow hosts Doc Bill and Ida Creal was hard to contain. Our first show was all about travel to Australia. However, after that initial show, we wanted to really bring in guests who would help us take the show up another level. Who would be a great guests to really kick things off? Doc Bill want to talk about food and travel, with Shrimp and Grits being top of his list and my list too.

Remembering Natalie Dupree as the Southern lady of Southern Cuisine, she immediately came to mind. She is considered the quintessential Southern Chef. Having won multiple James Beard Awards, authored many cookbooks, taught cooking at Rich’s, a Southern and Atlanta iconic spot – and she was the perfect guest to talk about a Southern favorite. Her list of accomplishments is very long and she would be welcomed on any platform to talk about anything Southern – from her cookbooks to her time teaching at Rich’s. Would she be willing to come on a brand-new travel radio show – one that has only one show under it’s belt.

We reached out to Natalie Dupree and she said yes. We were overjoyed. Our chat was longer than the showtime allowed, but we talked about chicken, grits, cooking and her amazing life on TV. We could have gone on-and-on for hours. She was a delight.

When I heard she passed, I thought of how generous it was for her to share time with me; a new radio host, not well known, still sorting out what my show would ultimately be about. She was very gracious and made me feel comfortable.

After twelve years of producing my travel radio show, I’ve reached out to people, some very well known, some up-and-coming too, yet feel they are bigger than my show, and others who believe radio is a thing of the past. Now I can see even better, what a gift it was to have her come on my new show. Natalie was a delightful guest and much more famous, established and well-known than many who have turned down my invitations. Her kindness in saying “yes” to an interview about Shrimp and Grits will always hold a very special place in my heart. No long-nos, or unanswered emails. She was a true professional and a darn good Southern Chef. Natalie Dupree will always be one of my most favorite guests.

I’m sure she’s cooking fried chicken and making shrimp and grits for everyone up in heaven.  Rest well dear Natalie.

Take a listen to a segment from the show with Natalie Dupree.