Jamie's American Road Trip (2009–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Louisiana - full transcript
Southend-on-Sea
is not like this at all.
Like many Brits,
my first taste of America
was being taken to Disney World
as a kid.
It's so exciting.
Twenty years on, I want to get
a real taste of a country
that's fascinated me ever since.
- What is dandanya?
- Dan dan.
Who's going to translate,
darling?
And the only way I know how,
is by cooking...
tasting...
Where have you been all my life?
...and getting stuck
into everything Stateside.
Come on!
Raw and uncut,
and without a guide book...
Heeya!
I'll be on
a one-man food quest...
to be reborn in the US of A.
My next stop is Louisiana.
They're mental.
They just want to party.
Where the only thing
bigger than the knees-ups
are the hurricanes.
My family home was right here.
But there's nothing there,
though.
I'll be soaking up
the New Orleans atmosphere...
Can I help?
Do you want me to do anything?
...trying to keep up
with those locals...
Come on, the Gumbo!
The Gumbo has started.
...and bagging my own dinner.
I want to understand
America and its people
through what they eat
and how they cook.
New Orleans,
the birthplace of jazz,
and the home
to America's Mardi Gras,
is a culinary step
into the unknown for me.
I know me French,
Italian, Spanish stuff.
That's what I've grown up with.
I don't even know what is
at the heart of this food,
but I know it's so far away
from anything I've ever done.
And that is exciting.
And that's what cooking's
all about.
But there's a darker side
to New Orleans.
Every year the city faces
the threat of hurricanes.
Just three weeks
before I landed,
every single person
in New Orleans
was ordered to evacuate
as Hurricane Gustav
swept through the state.
What I can't understand is why
would you want to live somewhere
where every year
you get a kick up the backside
from Mother Nature, you know.
You'd pack the kids up
and go, wouldn't you?
So I can't wait to see
why people hang about.
I want to see how food helps
locals cope with disaster.
One of my best mates said
it's the most special place
in America.
Great people, great food,
great fun.
Wow! Music everywhere.
After Hurricane Gustav
this year,
New Orleans tourist hotspots
were back in full swing
within days.
But in 2005,
most of the city
was under water.
Hurricane Katrina smashed
through the levee walls,
holding back
the mighty Mississippi,
and the city was flooded.
Nearly 1,500 people died
and many of those who survived
were left homeless.
Three years later,
and not every part
of New Orleans
is back to business as usual.
I'm meeting with one
of the restaurateurs
worst affected
by Hurricane Katrina.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Who are you?
- Jamie Oliver.
Leah Chase. How are you?
I've heard a lot about you.
Dooky Chase
is a New Orleans institution.
Ray Charles sang about it,
and America's most powerful
African American leaders
have eaten there.
It's been a tough
few years for Leah,
the 86-year-old owner.
Katrina knocked me out
for about two years.
Really?
I had to do
this whole place over.
I lost everything.
This floor you see in places,
we had to dig it up,
it was like a canal in here.
And it cost a fortune,
because I think $500,000
is a fortune.
Is a fortune.
You know, but people helped me
with it, so that,
that was pretty good there.
Leah's going to teach me
New Orleans' signature dish:
Gumbo.
A unique fusion of African,
Caribbean and French influences.
Gumbo is really
the African word for okra.
Do you have okra in England?
It doesn't grow, no.
But I've always seen okra down
some of the more
black ethnic streets
with, uh, they do rice dishes
with it,
and the Indians use it
in some curries
and stuff like that.
We don't see okra
in our
elite English neighbourhood.
No, no, no, no.
We go down there
where the Africans are,
and the Indians,
and they have okra.
No, no.
Well, take it up to your side,
sweetheart, some time,
you'll like it.
I didn't mean it
like that at all.
- What I meant--
- I know you didn't.
What I meant was that
it's only just become available
in the supermarkets.
Can you hold this?
Can you do anything, sweetheart?
I'm all here for you, darling.
What would you like?
Put that in there.
Tell me when to stop.
We're going to stop
when we got it all in.
- There you go. All of it.
- Okay, darling.
We're going to take some onions.
Would you like me to cut
some onion for you?
Will you know how?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Excuse me.
He knows a little.
- Oh, right.
- Been cooking a while.
That's good.
What we Creoles
call the Holy Trinity.
That's what we're going to put
in this Gumbo right now.
- The Holy Trinity?
- You know,
the celery, the onions,
and the bell pepper.
- How about that?
- I love that.
- The Holy Trinity.
- Okay.
Okay.
I like it a little finer
than that, though.
- Oh, you want it fine?
- Yes, dear.
We don't want big hunks in that.
It's like being at college.
I love it.
Put it in there.
We're going to put
some green bell pepper.
- Yeah?
- Let's go with a little garlic.
We'll put a little
chicken stock in there.
And you see,
we're going to put these crabs.
People like lots of crab.
How long will you cook
this for now?
Cook it
until it's cooked, sweetheart.
Yeah?
Cook it until it's cooked.
How did Gumbo get
to New Orleans?
Gumbo got to New Orleans
with the slaves.
So they put the okra,
I understand,
in their ears, the seeds.
- Really?
- They really smuggled them in.
So they really loved their okra.
Well, that was their basic food.
Let's plate up some of this.
And you give it
a little colour here.
Now that's as pretty
as you want.
The okra, it cooks like,
quite meaty.
And I really like
the thick texture, actually.
It's got a little kick to it.
But it's a really hearty broth,
really, isn't it?
The restaurant's
been rebuilt from scratch
and because
there's still work to do,
Leah can only offer
lunch service.
This whole area was water.
Just like a lake.
This is the entrance
to my dining room,
but they've still got work
to do here.
It's just hard.
It's just hard
to lose everything.
Yeah. I mean,
if you lose everything
and then it's a total
fresh start, isn't it?
It is a fresh start.
And you learn,
and you just start over.
And it's just hard
starting over.
It's just so hard.
You know, like you see
all those housing units,
all those were customers I had.
But now they're gone.
I can see that getting
restaurants back on their feet
is crucial to keeping
that Mardi Gras vibe alive.
Now I want to get a taste
of authentic
Louisiana street food
and street life.
Jamie.
- How you doing, Jamie?
- Are you alright?
When Hurricane Gustav blew
through three weeks ago,
Kermit Ruffins, jazz musician,
bar owner and barbecue cook,
was one of the first
to bounce back.
You're famous
for doing barbecues
at whatever gig you do.
the name of my band
is Kermit Ruffins...
- Right.
- ...and the Barbecue Swingers.
And the Barbecue Swingers?
Kermit Ruffins
and the Barbecue Swingers.
That's fantastic.
- Are these all your buddies?
- Yeah.
He's got a grill.
- He's got a grill by his--
- Do you barbecue as well?
I'm smoking.
- You barbecue?
- Who's best out of you two?
That's him.
See, there's a grill on his car.
There's grills on every corner.
Down this whole block.
Everybody got a grill.
Street food is an important part
of southern cooking.
Each region has its own
unique dishes and flavours.
What you got here?
Oh, you're doing quail.
Kermit's quail is marinated
in a typically
punchy Louisiana sauce.
New Orleans barbecue
is all about that extra kick.
I never thought
I'd be seeing quail
being cooked in New Orleans.
We're also serving up
Kermit's favourite
local bangers.
Packed full of chillies
and peppers.
Wow! I love it.
That'll give you a kick up
the arse in the morning.
New Orleans style.
Can I help?
Do you want me to do anything?
Jesus, I'm a bit pissed.
Tell me something, right.
I've only just got here,
but like, if the weather,
the hurricanes, if the floods,
if they come back
on a regular basis,
why do people live here?
Why, why do the people
of New Orleans do it?
Well, we all brought down
the families, you know.
Between family and church
and bars and restaurants.
New Orleans is one
of the best places
to live on earth,
as far as I'm concerned,
that's for sure.
So it's worth it?
Oh yeah. I mean, you can't help
but come back to rebuild it.
So what's the atmosphere like
when the hurricanes
are coming in?
Everybody's partying.
Partying?
In the hurricane season?
Yeah, you party, and then you go
and board up your house
at the same time,
and the music going.
You're barbecuing.
- No way!
- You say, man,
I may not see you again.
I may not see you
for a couple of weeks.
So, listen,
I'm sitting in England
watching the News 24,
seeing the hurricane
coming towards New Orleans,
feeling sorry for you lot,
and you're partying
and barbecuing.
We're partying, but we're ready
to get the hell out of here
and do what we have to do
to survive, that's for sure.
Kermit's fighting spirit
has inspired me to have a go
at my very own
hurricane quashing dish.
I'm in Louisiana,
America's hurricane central,
to find out what role food plays
in keeping
people's spirits high.
Delicious.
That'll wake you up
in the morning.
New Orleans may be back
to normal
after Hurricane Gustav,
but in 2005, Hurricane Katrina
was a different matter.
So I'm going to go
and see Kermit now,
and he's going to take me round
all of the other parts
of New Orleans,
the part that was affected
the worst by the hurricanes
and floods and stuff.
I don't know what to expect.
I imagine they've cleaned it
all up by now.
Here's the levee wall
right here.
Are you being serious?
That's nothing.
That's the levee wall.
The water got up and it broke.
I'm not surprised.
It looks like Lego.
Two of the biggest
levee breaches
were in the Lower Ninth Ward,
home at the time
to nearly 15,000 people.
I can't believe it. I mean,
you literally come over
this bridge
and everything just looks...
- Totally different.
- ...wrecked.
This neighbourhood
was so alive with kids,
and kids everywhere,
running and playing
and having fun.
There is no one, is there,
at all?
No one.
- It's a ghost town, isn't it?
- It's a ghost town.
The water rushed through here,
and we had 15 feet of water.
Fifteen feet?
Most of the houses
was totally under water.
My family home was right here.
- There's nothing there, though.
- Nothing there, no.
The water pushed
my home about five feet
off the foundation.
Daddy had it torn down
because you couldn't do
nothing with it
So this is the new wall.
And I watched the storm
that just left, Gustav,
and the water was all
the way up to the top.
Why didn't they make it
a bit taller?
Oh look, they figured a surge
is always about 12 feet high.
and they made it right
at twelve feet.
You would have thought
after Katrina,
they would have made it 15 feet,
Yeah. You thought
they would have did that,
but they didn't.
Money, money, money.
This is the exact spot
where the levee broke.
So what happened?
Well, the surge came in, man,
the water just went all
the way up
and finally I think
a barge started hitting it.
So a boat was getting--
So it was like a hammer.
Yeah, with the water
just steady going,
and finally it broke,
and it just rushed through
the neighbourhood
like you wouldn't believe--
So there were people
still in their houses?
Some people stayed.
Lots of people stayed.
A lot of people died down here.
Really?
It's crazy.
Wow.
So it's almost like a whole town
just got scrubbed off the map.
Yeah. The Lower Ninth Ward
definitely got scrubbed off
the map.
While the tourist areas
of New Orleans
have been rebuilt,
these poorer, largely
African American districts,
are simply beyond repair.
Despite this,
the fighting spirit
of the community
is alive and well,
at the fortnightly street party
known as the Second Line.
- It's like a big carnival.
- Right.
It's good, good music,
lots of people
dancing their butts off.
And lots of good cooking
going on down there?
Oh, yeah.
There's about 40 trucks.
You're not going to believe
the cooking that's going on.
- Right.
- It's amazing.
I'll check that out.
Yeah, you should
definitely check out
a Second Line while you're here.
- Thank you, Jamie.
- Thanks for everything, yeah.
I want to set up
my own Gumbo stall
at tomorrow's Second Line.
But, if I'm going to cook
for a bunch of locals,
I want to get it right.
And I'm starting to realise
that Gumbo queen, Leah Chase,
has kept a few
of her secrets from me.
I was slightly disappointed
with Leah,
cause she was giving me
a real cheat's Gumbo, right?
And that was her
being incredibly generous,
because she, I mean,
she said herself
that an authentic Gumbo
would take three or four hours
on a slow wood-fired stove.
And I appreciate
her giving me cheat,
but I can cheat myself,
do you know what I mean?
What I wanted
was the definitive Gumbo.
So these recipe books
are kind of giving me
a bit of a helping hand
at the moment.
Look, this is a whole book
on Gumbo.
It's quite early,
it's about six in the morning.
But we've got to kind
of get started early
cause if you're going to go down
to the Second Line,
you have to be there by 11.
After a night of research,
I'm still unsure
what makes a definitive Gumbo.
So I'm cooking a bit blind.
At the end of the day,
if it's a kind of stew soup
that's tasting delicious,
around a few basic principles,
then it should be
a bloody good Gumbo.
The three key elements
of my Gumbo
are the Holy Trinity,
which is onion,
celery and bell pepper,
a really tasty broth,
and a mix of fat and flour,
called a roux,
cooked till dark.
What's happening now
is it's kind of becoming
a beautiful intense
sweet muddle of flavours.
I'm a bit pushed
for time, really.
My main ingredients
are hot sausage,
and locally caught crab
and shrimp.
Spicing it up with a good dose
of cayenne pepper.
It's sort of burning my face.
So it's like I've just
had a mouthful of mace.
Okay. Brain, think.
I'm going to put
the okra in now.
See that's a sort
of a gluey-ness
That's the sort of natural
thickening agent of it.
Oh. Forgot my sausage.
Once I've got my sausage
and seafood in,
I add a couple
of juicy ripe tomatoes
to finish things off,
and a squeeze of lemon.
And we have got
one mighty fine Gumbo.
It's got attitude,
it's not a pushover Gumbo.
I'm going to let that just tick.
Tick, tick, tick.
We've got everything in the van,
we're trying to go quite
slowly over the bumps
so we don't spill anything.
Second Lines
are promoted by word of mouth,
and take place
in the dodgier parts of town.
I'm going to start serving
in about half an hour,
I think, when people start...
I think we'll just feel it.
I'm just going to go with it.
These back street parties
started off as fund raisers
to pay for funerals.
Though they no longer
serve that purpose,
Second Lines are still there
to laugh in the face of death
and destruction.
How are you doing?
You guys are all
from the same club, or...?
Yeah.
We represent! We got 60...
We're the third
I don't know.
I haven't got a clue
what he just said.
Come on, the Gumbo. Gumbo!
Essex style.
Have a little bit of Gumbo.
Do you want to try some?
You cooked it?
With all my love.
I hope you love it.
- I need another one.
- Another one?
You know what?
It sounds really cheesy,
but I don't think you can
really understand
the heart of Gumbo
unless you see
all this sort of stuff.
Come on, the Gumbo.
There you go, beautiful.
Fine, brother.
This is not Louisiana Gumbo,
so what's the name of this?
- Jamie Gumbo.
- Jamie Gumbo?
But you're eating it
so you must like it.
It's delicious.
It's not quite
New Orleans flavour,
but it's good.
I like it.
It's some good Gumbo, yeah.
Who taught you
how to make that Gumbo?
- Miss Leah Chase.
- Oh, best in the world.
I'm trying, I'm trying.
New Orleans is one
of the greatest cities
in the world, man.
And they're all coming out
the doors. Look at this.
Southend-on-Sea
is not like this at all.
There's definitely something
very special about New Orleans
that you can't quite
put your finger on.
Like, my girl over there
is serving a Korean dish
as a black woman,
and a Gumbo
is a slave black dish
that's been through
French, German, French...
like influences.
Just seems like a really
successful melting pot,
do you know what I mean?
It's my last night
in New Orleans,
and I'm determined
to keep going.
Uh, what's good?
Hurricane?
- Is that a cocktail?
- Yeah.
Yeah, lovely,
I'll have one of those.
- Alright.
- Cheers.
Bit ironic, isn't it?
Naming your special a hurricane.
What's in a hurricane?
It's four shots of rum
and four ounces
of Pat O'Brien's
hurricane medicine.
Four shots of rum?
That's what we're famous for.
It's where they originated.
Wow. Ooh-hoo.
It's months until the city's
famous Mardi Gras parade,
but it seems like
everyone's jumped on board
the New Orleans party train.
This is insane. I don't know
why they're doing it.
They're mental.
They just like to party.
With New Orleans back to normal
after the most recent hurricane,
I'm heading out of the city
to the areas that got worst
hit by the storms.
Oh, my god. It's like a tank.
I want to see
if the badly hit locals
in the Louisiana countryside
are still partying.
But after last night's boozing,
I've got to take it
a bit steady.
We've just stopped
to get some petrol
and then, having not eaten
any shit for 12 years
I've just gone in there
and for some reason,
it feels right to go
and buy a load of shit.
The thing is,
it does taste good.
But it's so salty.
They don't do anything
by halves out here.
I'm about to eat the Honey bun.
Here goes.
What else have we got?
M&Ms. I've missed you.
I know that I'm going
to feel sick.
But that Snickers was so good.
I don't want to work anymore.
I've got my junk food.
I'm heading into Cajun country,
a place
where in the 18th century
the French settlers refused
to be part of the USA,
and that independent spirit
still lives on.
It's now three weeks
after Louisiana was rocked
by Hurricane Gustav,
and this area took
the full brunt of the storm.
The thing
that's quite interesting
is obviously everyone's heard
about Hurricane Katrina
but actually Hurricane Gustav
was much, much worse
in this area
than Katrina ever was.
Hurricane Gustav tore inland
from the coast,
through Louisiana's
suburban towns
and rural communities,
devastating homes and businesses
throughout the whole
of Cajun country.
It certainly interesting
driving through here.
There's roofs off of things,
trees fallen over,
people doing
clear up everywhere.
A local restaurant owner
who was knocked sideways
by the storm
has offered to put me up.
What's really interesting
is every time
something bad happened
in the world,
Um...
humans naturally go back
to old sort of rituals
of getting round
the table and eating.
In wars,
food was incredibly important,
and I've got friends that even
worked in the Tribeca area
of New York when September 11th
happened, you know.
Getting those restaurants
open soon
was really important.
Not just to nourish people,
but to kind of keep
their kind of spirits high.
I'm driving all day
through Cajun country
to get to the restaurant.
On the way, there's a chance
for me to get my hands
on one of the region's
most exciting ingredients.
But if I'm going to stop off,
I'd best make it snappy.
I'm going to go and meet
a lady called Sydney May,
who hunts alligator.
I'm a little bit nervous
Cause, um, cause they bite you.
Sydney May Durand has lived
Cajun life to the full.
Before hunting alligators,
she's been a rodeo rider,
and a representative
for Congress.
Hello.
She's agreed to let me
join her hunting party if,
in return, I cook what we catch.
Sydney May.
How are you doing?
What a pleasure.
What a pleasure to meet you.
How are you, darling?
I asked if I could kiss you.
Ah.
- I'm here.
- That's great, that's great.
I think you're going
to enjoy it.
We went and scouted this morning
and we saw some nice alligators.
And how do you know
a nice alligator?
Is it just a big one?
Well, a nice one will be
about nine foot,
eight foot, nine foot.
Nine foot? That is big.
That would take my arm off,
wouldn't it?
If we can only catch it.
Watch in the back.
There's going to be alligators.
There's going to be alligators.
Look at that. You see it watch
a duck go under the water.
This is where we're going
to put the first one.
- I'm a bit scared, here.
- Hey, watch it.
Do they ever come on land?
Yeah. But you just look
before walk.
Yeah, but that's... Christ.
Are you not scared at all?
- No.
- Okay.
Oh, there's one. Brother.
There's one.
- Can you see it?
- Oh, my god.
Look, there he is.
I'm shitting myself.
This may be no picnic,
but it is a family day out
for Sydney May's clan
who are here to put out
the bait.
Okay, so this is your version
of a fishing rod.
Yo.
So there's your hook.
This is the most amazing form
of fishing I've ever seen.
How did the hurricane affect
the farm, or the 'gators?
Bad,
When it turns up the water,
all the bad stuff
in the bottom comes up
and it kills the fish.
- Right.
- So then the alligators
had a lot to eat.
So the season
wasn't good at the beginning.
The hurricane
messed up everything.
Goes through the water.
Go through the water.
Yeah. I bet you boys are having
a right laugh at me.
Fee fi fo fum.
I smell the blood
of an Englishman.
Yeah. Don't wind me up.
How will the alligator know
the chicken's there?
Can it smell?
You see it dripping,
the fat is floating on the top.
I think, I think
you can catch a big one.
I hope so.
Tomorrow morning
at nine o'clock,
and I promise you you'll dream
about it tonight.
Half an hour from Sydney May's
is McGee's Landing,
my base for the rest of my stay.
It's got a great reputation
for Cajun cooking
but for now McGee's,
just like Dooky Chase
after Katrina, is shut down.
Hey, Dave.
How are you doing, man?
- Welcome to Cajun country, man.
- Thank you.
Three weeks ago,
110 mile an hour winds
tore the tin roof off
of David Allemond's restaurant
and sent it sprawling
across the car park.
Then the storm caused more
than $100,000 worth
of damage to the interior.
McGee's has been closed
for business ever since.
We had an open deck here
which the wind got up
from under it.
And then pushed it off.
Then peeled the rest
of the roof off.
Right.
During the hurricane Angel
the same thing happened.
Now, during Lily
I lost just a section of it,
so this is the third roof
since we built this building.
You are a brave man.
David's situation
is pretty dire.
Wasted stock,
a mounting wage bill,
and an unworkable kitchen.
So was the roof off here?
Yes. This was completely off.
So the kitchen got completely--
The kitchen
got completely smashed.
I mean, I've never seen
a kitchen with its roof
torn off but look at this.
Everything will be replaced
and you know, it's going
to be done by Friday.
You're going to have
a relaunch party?
Yeah, man, we're going to get
together and have a grand--
- How are you going to do it?
- Well--
Is it dinner and dance?
Dinner and dance.
Great. How many people.
A hundred and fifty people.
A hundred or so.
If there's anything
that I can do to help,
- I'll be there for you.
- I will put you to work, Jamie.
- I want to be put to work.
- I will put you to work.
In return for letting me stay,
I've offered to come up
with my very own
Louisiana inspired menu
and cook
David's relaunch dinner.
- Can I ask you a question?
- Yeah.
Are there any 'gators
in this water?
- Yeah.
- Oh, for Christ's sake.
I do sleepwalk.
Oh, my god.
It's a bit more exciting
than the Norfolk Broads.
While David makes
the site fit for public use,
I'm off to check my trap.
Let's go get those 'gators.
I grew up in the country so,
you know,
hunting in my world
is all about rabbits, hares,
partridge, pheasant,
but nothing that could kill you.
Nothing that can fight back.
Sydney May has sensed
that I'm nervous
so she's called in
reinforcements.
This is my granddaughter,
Whitney,
who has been helping me
for years.
- Nice to meet you.
- And this is her friend, Katie.
So how old are you girls?
- Eleven.
- Eleven.
I hear you're a bit
of professional catcher.
11-year-old Whitney
has been in Sydney May's
hunting party
since she was seven.
Your nan says you're real good.
So what are we going to do?
Are we going to head out?
Yeah.
They's gone.
See the lines going
into the water.
There's an alligator gone
into that line.
You got a cap in there?
I want to put some in--
I'm not going to pull on that
until you put caps in that, boy.
You've got to get
down here with it.
- Are you joking?
- Wait.
Well, I hope
I don't slip in at this point.
I'll help you.
Are you holding him?
Sydney May! For Christ's sake,
shoot the thing.
Oh, god!
It still feels pretty alive
to me.
Wait a minute.
There you go.
Well done, Sydney May.
Third time lucky.
After Sydney May
finally bagged our first 'gator,
her youngest recruit shows me
how to finish one off.
Whit, do you want to shoot one?
Get the gun.
It ain't dead yet.
Right in between the eyes.
Well done. Good shot.
I think that looks,
you know, fairly odd to us,
but you know,
I was her age when my dad
used to take me out with .410,
getting rabbits and hare.
I mean, 99.9 percent
of us are so disconnected
from the process
of hunter gathering,
you know, eating off the land,
you know, there's a chicken,
wring its neck,
pluck it, gut it,
draw it, you know,
do you know what I mean?
So you know,
I think now more than ever,
sort of, this sort of set up
is unusual to modern day people.
Seeing an 11-year-old do it
doesn't make it any
less daunting, unfortunately.
Be careful.
I've never been so ready
in all my life.
You got him that time.
That's your first 'gator.
Let's just have a look.
Well you got a six foot.
Never seen or done
anything like that before.
And I don't know how I'm going
to explain that one
to my mum and dad.
Oh, Gordon Bennett.
Where do you want it,
mate, in there?
Before I can cook my 'gator,
I need to get to its meat.
Right. Here?
Yeah.
This is my chance to really
get beneath the skin
of Louisiana.
Just take your little blower.
- Up the jacksie.
- Right, under the skin.
Alright. There you go.
Then you cut the feet off.
Is that right?
Take it back all the way down.
Just like pork.
And then this bit here
is like a sea bass.
This cheek, that'll be one
of the nicest bits
of meat here.
Almost got it.
Okay. Now I'm kind of looking
at this now as a chef,
thinking what's the best bit?
What is the best bit,
this part here?
Let me show you, here, watch.
Go down the middle, right here.
Ah. It's an inner seam.
So that's what I'm going
to be cooking with today.
It looks like
a piece of chicken.
Back at Sydney May's,
it's time to keep my end
of the bargain,
and cook up that 'gator
for my fellow hunters.
Just a minute, what's this?
Ah.
It's the bullet.
Oh.
Maybe not that bit, eh?
I'm going to make
a black Cajun rub.
It seems everyone in Louisiana
likes food that packs a punch
so I'm not going to hold back
on the flavours.
I'm making a rub
with pepper, salt, cayenne,
thyme and bay.
So I'm going to mix
that up like this.
Look at that.
It'll have a hell
of a kick to it,
don't you worry about that.
What I'm going to do now
is pour this on the alligator.
Mustard. Just to harmonise
all the flavours.
I'm just going to mix it
all up now.
So there you go.
Now, what I'm going to do
is put the oil in.
When that oil's nice and hot...
I'm going to cook some...
That's frying off nice.
Nice. I think we're there.
Done some sweet potatoes
in the coals of the barbecue.
Just going to run
my knife down it like that.
Squeeze it.
Now I get my alligator.
I mean, it's quite
an incredible meat.
It's sort of meat,
but cause I know
where it's come from,
you kind of see it as 'gator,
and there's just no getting away
from it. It's a 'gator.
And then literally,
I'm just going to serve that
with some of our lovely salsa.
Look at that.
Beautiful.
Wow.
It's got the most
incredible texture.
Uh...
It's sort of,
feels kind of like
chicken and pork,
but I'm not quite sure.
Um, delicious.
The local catch phrase
is "let the good times roll."
And it may not be
the bustle of New Orleans,
but this lot
still love to party.
What differences
in your lifestyle is there
compared to the rest of America?
You never know when
your last day is going to be,
so just enjoy today.
Exactly.
I moved down here in the 60s.
I came down, believe it or not,
as a baseball player.
And if I had to say
what's unique about the area
and the people,
it's just a love of life
and they enjoy life,
enjoy food, enjoy living.
Joie de vivre, as they say.
Were you supposed to go home?
-Yeah.
I think foreigners see America
as this big machine,
and it never thinks of it
as being intimate
and small and special
and quaint,
and that's what I got today.
So, apart
from about 25 mosquito bites,
you know, so it was a good day.
Good day.
The worst the hurricanes did
to Sydney May
was spoil
the alligator hunting season.
But at McGee's Landing,
David's livelihood is at stake.
With only 24 hours
until 100 guests
arrive for the relaunch party,
there's still loads to do.
- Hi, Dave!
- Hey, man.
How are you feeling about it?
Are you okay? Up, down?
I'm just tired right now, man.
Yeah.
Just tired.
As far as cooking's concerned,
and serving,
what we need is a room,
a kitchen,
and a bathroom that works,
and we can do it, easy.
We haven't got any.
Um, I'm not sure
whether to start,
in the kitchen
or out in the hall?
Okay.
I'm going to start
moving stuff out, I think.
It's my last morning
in Louisiana,
but I've got 100 guests
to cook for.
I've offered to help out
Cajun restaurateur,
David Allemond,
by cooking
at his relaunch party.
It was a month today
that Gustav hit this area
and ripped his roof off
for the third time.
And actually,
this will be the first time
customers have been back,
get some cash through the tills
and from one restaurateur
to another,
that'll be a bloody relief.
A full refurb
will take weeks to complete,
but tonight's about putting
David's place back on the map.
The centrepiece
of our meal tonight
is going to be a pork roast.
It's cooked in a contraption
that I've never seen before
and they call it
a Cajun microwave.
Where does the heat source come?
Just from the top?
What will happen is
this thing heats up this metal
- Yeah.
- And the heat goes down.
The Cajun microwave.
That looks pretty good, brother.
Right. So we'll let
that cinder down.
And we can go and get all...
- Let's get that pork done.
- I'm always ready, baby.
Yeah.
The wood over there,
that barrel needs to be moved.
We need to start cooking,
but after a full month trying
to get this restaurant reopened
David's exhausted
and struggling to focus.
Look, tell Jarred not to--
I told him to come
and pick this up but he won't.
How do you ever pin Dave down?
He's like a snake.
He goes everywhere.
Yeah, you can't pin him down.
I want you to pick up trash,
Jarred, any fucking can,
any piece of paper,
everything, dude.
I don't need to tell you
what to do.
Let's go, David.
- Yeah, man.
- Let's make this thing happen.
I can feel it.
But no sooner is be back
than he's off again.
Whoa! Whoa!
What the f--
Hillbillies. Up here.
There's feet in the roof.
How are you doing up there,
boys?
- Good.
- We're all good, bro.
Hey G, you looking for that one?
You're not using some of my
good knives up there, are you?
It's just fibreglass.
Well, yeah, but that's,
that's for food.
I've never worked in a kitchen
where the air conditioning
specialists
are using your knife.
With the knives back
with the cooks,
we can finally get cracking.
Inspired by
the spicy 'gator sauce
I made at Sydney May's
I'm going a roast shoulder
of pork, Cajun style.
I'm going to go heavy
on bay, right?
And I've done stuff
before with bay,
not just a little bit,
but when you a whole load.
As well as seasoning,
my bay rub's got a whole load
of garlic in it, and vinegar.
So this is serious flavour here.
I'm going to stuff the pork
with the insides
of a local spicy sausage,
just like the ones that I had
at Kermit's New Orleans
roadside barbecue.
I'm just after a tiny bit
of that smoked flavour,
so I'm just,
I don't need all of this.
Just need a little bit,
and I'm going to poke
a few holes
and just put a little bit
of this in,
just for that smokiness.
Delicious.
Let's do it.
You'll have to be careful, man,
because it's very hot.
Oh, damn.
The thing is,
it expands, doesn't it?
Ooh.
- It's like this.
- You know what?
There's something about
this sort of whole Cajun thing
that's quite chaotic.
But I sort of like it.
Fuck, man.
Look, he still
hasn't picked up this shit.
Here he comes.
If in doubt...
If we get this stuff in
real quick...
We'll leave those in there
for about an hour or so.
The cooking's under way
and the main building
work's all done.
So, it's time to get
all hands on deck
and turn this hurricane site
into a working restaurant.
The ambitious thing about this
is that we're cooking
for 100 people
a half decent meal.
The ambitious thing is
cooking in a kitchen
that's fucked.
He loves the stuffed animals.
Okay!
My name's Jamie Oliver,
if you don't know...
The whole point
of this trip for me
was because I wanted
to get under the skin
of American culture for real,
and I know that I've seen it,
and witnessed it.
I tell you what.
This guy caught on fast.
You talk about a good alligator,
but I'm glad
he doesn't live around here
'cause I'd have trouble.
OK. We got for starters,
or appetisers as you call it,
we've got the freshest crab.
And then once you've had that,
because the hurricane
broke all our plates,
we're going to quickly
grab your plates,
we're going to rush them
into the dishwasher...
look, listen, you thought you
were going to get slick service.
This, this night
is going to last for ever.
Dave. What you could do,
just for five minutes,
if you could,
a little bit of your sauce
- on that crab meat.
- I got it.
Just on the side.
That would be beautiful,
and then we're going
to come round and do the salad.
Because of the hurricanes,
we couldn't get enough
alligator for everyone,
so instead, we've got
a kicking crab salad
with a special
spicy Cajun sauce.
Very good crab. Very good.
You can tell it's freshly caught
and the sauce on top
was excellent as well.
For mains, we're serving
my roast shoulder of pork,
fresh from the Cajun microwave.
There you are,
it just falls off the bone.
That's tender.
It just smells like Gumbo.
Oh, it's a wonderful evening.
It's nice to see these guys
getting back on their feet,
isn't it?
It's good.
And the food's wonderful.
Louisiana's a bit like--
have you ever got
into jelly beans?
And then when you get into them,
they have these little books
you open up,
and you do a cocktail
and you put them
in your gob in one second.
And like, Louisiana,
if you take a bit of French,
a bit of English,
a bit of German,
a bit of Spanish,
a bit of Italian,
a bit of African, you roll it up
and you put it in your gob...
and that's Louisiana.
It's like Gumbo.
I had no idea this
would be such a great turnout.
Although I had a good feeling,
I really didn't know
what to expect,
and I am full of awe.
It brings me from a real low
into a major high.
My Louisiana food quest is over,
and I have no doubt
that whatever happened here,
everyone will always
feast and party
in the face of disaster.
Look, as far as I'm concerned,
the whole hurricane thing
is crazy.
If that happened to me and my
family I would be...
...straight off.
But, easier said than done,
and I think
when you've got friends
and family and a life somewhere,
and it has its ups and every now
and again its downs,
I think you learn
to be resilient,
and I think that's what,
that's what I've learned
about the people, you know.
Next time, I'm no longer
partying in Louisiana.
Instead,
I'm California dreaming.
Come on girls. Whack it.
Where I'll be throwing myself
into family fiestas...
...finding fresh flavours...
Oh, man. That is insanely good.
What's it like? Viagra?
...and swapping glamour...
Where's Pamela Anderson?
...for gangs.
I got shot in the hand.
I lost my fingers.
Street life. You know,
that's the life I live.
is not like this at all.
Like many Brits,
my first taste of America
was being taken to Disney World
as a kid.
It's so exciting.
Twenty years on, I want to get
a real taste of a country
that's fascinated me ever since.
- What is dandanya?
- Dan dan.
Who's going to translate,
darling?
And the only way I know how,
is by cooking...
tasting...
Where have you been all my life?
...and getting stuck
into everything Stateside.
Come on!
Raw and uncut,
and without a guide book...
Heeya!
I'll be on
a one-man food quest...
to be reborn in the US of A.
My next stop is Louisiana.
They're mental.
They just want to party.
Where the only thing
bigger than the knees-ups
are the hurricanes.
My family home was right here.
But there's nothing there,
though.
I'll be soaking up
the New Orleans atmosphere...
Can I help?
Do you want me to do anything?
...trying to keep up
with those locals...
Come on, the Gumbo!
The Gumbo has started.
...and bagging my own dinner.
I want to understand
America and its people
through what they eat
and how they cook.
New Orleans,
the birthplace of jazz,
and the home
to America's Mardi Gras,
is a culinary step
into the unknown for me.
I know me French,
Italian, Spanish stuff.
That's what I've grown up with.
I don't even know what is
at the heart of this food,
but I know it's so far away
from anything I've ever done.
And that is exciting.
And that's what cooking's
all about.
But there's a darker side
to New Orleans.
Every year the city faces
the threat of hurricanes.
Just three weeks
before I landed,
every single person
in New Orleans
was ordered to evacuate
as Hurricane Gustav
swept through the state.
What I can't understand is why
would you want to live somewhere
where every year
you get a kick up the backside
from Mother Nature, you know.
You'd pack the kids up
and go, wouldn't you?
So I can't wait to see
why people hang about.
I want to see how food helps
locals cope with disaster.
One of my best mates said
it's the most special place
in America.
Great people, great food,
great fun.
Wow! Music everywhere.
After Hurricane Gustav
this year,
New Orleans tourist hotspots
were back in full swing
within days.
But in 2005,
most of the city
was under water.
Hurricane Katrina smashed
through the levee walls,
holding back
the mighty Mississippi,
and the city was flooded.
Nearly 1,500 people died
and many of those who survived
were left homeless.
Three years later,
and not every part
of New Orleans
is back to business as usual.
I'm meeting with one
of the restaurateurs
worst affected
by Hurricane Katrina.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Who are you?
- Jamie Oliver.
Leah Chase. How are you?
I've heard a lot about you.
Dooky Chase
is a New Orleans institution.
Ray Charles sang about it,
and America's most powerful
African American leaders
have eaten there.
It's been a tough
few years for Leah,
the 86-year-old owner.
Katrina knocked me out
for about two years.
Really?
I had to do
this whole place over.
I lost everything.
This floor you see in places,
we had to dig it up,
it was like a canal in here.
And it cost a fortune,
because I think $500,000
is a fortune.
Is a fortune.
You know, but people helped me
with it, so that,
that was pretty good there.
Leah's going to teach me
New Orleans' signature dish:
Gumbo.
A unique fusion of African,
Caribbean and French influences.
Gumbo is really
the African word for okra.
Do you have okra in England?
It doesn't grow, no.
But I've always seen okra down
some of the more
black ethnic streets
with, uh, they do rice dishes
with it,
and the Indians use it
in some curries
and stuff like that.
We don't see okra
in our
elite English neighbourhood.
No, no, no, no.
We go down there
where the Africans are,
and the Indians,
and they have okra.
No, no.
Well, take it up to your side,
sweetheart, some time,
you'll like it.
I didn't mean it
like that at all.
- What I meant--
- I know you didn't.
What I meant was that
it's only just become available
in the supermarkets.
Can you hold this?
Can you do anything, sweetheart?
I'm all here for you, darling.
What would you like?
Put that in there.
Tell me when to stop.
We're going to stop
when we got it all in.
- There you go. All of it.
- Okay, darling.
We're going to take some onions.
Would you like me to cut
some onion for you?
Will you know how?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Excuse me.
He knows a little.
- Oh, right.
- Been cooking a while.
That's good.
What we Creoles
call the Holy Trinity.
That's what we're going to put
in this Gumbo right now.
- The Holy Trinity?
- You know,
the celery, the onions,
and the bell pepper.
- How about that?
- I love that.
- The Holy Trinity.
- Okay.
Okay.
I like it a little finer
than that, though.
- Oh, you want it fine?
- Yes, dear.
We don't want big hunks in that.
It's like being at college.
I love it.
Put it in there.
We're going to put
some green bell pepper.
- Yeah?
- Let's go with a little garlic.
We'll put a little
chicken stock in there.
And you see,
we're going to put these crabs.
People like lots of crab.
How long will you cook
this for now?
Cook it
until it's cooked, sweetheart.
Yeah?
Cook it until it's cooked.
How did Gumbo get
to New Orleans?
Gumbo got to New Orleans
with the slaves.
So they put the okra,
I understand,
in their ears, the seeds.
- Really?
- They really smuggled them in.
So they really loved their okra.
Well, that was their basic food.
Let's plate up some of this.
And you give it
a little colour here.
Now that's as pretty
as you want.
The okra, it cooks like,
quite meaty.
And I really like
the thick texture, actually.
It's got a little kick to it.
But it's a really hearty broth,
really, isn't it?
The restaurant's
been rebuilt from scratch
and because
there's still work to do,
Leah can only offer
lunch service.
This whole area was water.
Just like a lake.
This is the entrance
to my dining room,
but they've still got work
to do here.
It's just hard.
It's just hard
to lose everything.
Yeah. I mean,
if you lose everything
and then it's a total
fresh start, isn't it?
It is a fresh start.
And you learn,
and you just start over.
And it's just hard
starting over.
It's just so hard.
You know, like you see
all those housing units,
all those were customers I had.
But now they're gone.
I can see that getting
restaurants back on their feet
is crucial to keeping
that Mardi Gras vibe alive.
Now I want to get a taste
of authentic
Louisiana street food
and street life.
Jamie.
- How you doing, Jamie?
- Are you alright?
When Hurricane Gustav blew
through three weeks ago,
Kermit Ruffins, jazz musician,
bar owner and barbecue cook,
was one of the first
to bounce back.
You're famous
for doing barbecues
at whatever gig you do.
the name of my band
is Kermit Ruffins...
- Right.
- ...and the Barbecue Swingers.
And the Barbecue Swingers?
Kermit Ruffins
and the Barbecue Swingers.
That's fantastic.
- Are these all your buddies?
- Yeah.
He's got a grill.
- He's got a grill by his--
- Do you barbecue as well?
I'm smoking.
- You barbecue?
- Who's best out of you two?
That's him.
See, there's a grill on his car.
There's grills on every corner.
Down this whole block.
Everybody got a grill.
Street food is an important part
of southern cooking.
Each region has its own
unique dishes and flavours.
What you got here?
Oh, you're doing quail.
Kermit's quail is marinated
in a typically
punchy Louisiana sauce.
New Orleans barbecue
is all about that extra kick.
I never thought
I'd be seeing quail
being cooked in New Orleans.
We're also serving up
Kermit's favourite
local bangers.
Packed full of chillies
and peppers.
Wow! I love it.
That'll give you a kick up
the arse in the morning.
New Orleans style.
Can I help?
Do you want me to do anything?
Jesus, I'm a bit pissed.
Tell me something, right.
I've only just got here,
but like, if the weather,
the hurricanes, if the floods,
if they come back
on a regular basis,
why do people live here?
Why, why do the people
of New Orleans do it?
Well, we all brought down
the families, you know.
Between family and church
and bars and restaurants.
New Orleans is one
of the best places
to live on earth,
as far as I'm concerned,
that's for sure.
So it's worth it?
Oh yeah. I mean, you can't help
but come back to rebuild it.
So what's the atmosphere like
when the hurricanes
are coming in?
Everybody's partying.
Partying?
In the hurricane season?
Yeah, you party, and then you go
and board up your house
at the same time,
and the music going.
You're barbecuing.
- No way!
- You say, man,
I may not see you again.
I may not see you
for a couple of weeks.
So, listen,
I'm sitting in England
watching the News 24,
seeing the hurricane
coming towards New Orleans,
feeling sorry for you lot,
and you're partying
and barbecuing.
We're partying, but we're ready
to get the hell out of here
and do what we have to do
to survive, that's for sure.
Kermit's fighting spirit
has inspired me to have a go
at my very own
hurricane quashing dish.
I'm in Louisiana,
America's hurricane central,
to find out what role food plays
in keeping
people's spirits high.
Delicious.
That'll wake you up
in the morning.
New Orleans may be back
to normal
after Hurricane Gustav,
but in 2005, Hurricane Katrina
was a different matter.
So I'm going to go
and see Kermit now,
and he's going to take me round
all of the other parts
of New Orleans,
the part that was affected
the worst by the hurricanes
and floods and stuff.
I don't know what to expect.
I imagine they've cleaned it
all up by now.
Here's the levee wall
right here.
Are you being serious?
That's nothing.
That's the levee wall.
The water got up and it broke.
I'm not surprised.
It looks like Lego.
Two of the biggest
levee breaches
were in the Lower Ninth Ward,
home at the time
to nearly 15,000 people.
I can't believe it. I mean,
you literally come over
this bridge
and everything just looks...
- Totally different.
- ...wrecked.
This neighbourhood
was so alive with kids,
and kids everywhere,
running and playing
and having fun.
There is no one, is there,
at all?
No one.
- It's a ghost town, isn't it?
- It's a ghost town.
The water rushed through here,
and we had 15 feet of water.
Fifteen feet?
Most of the houses
was totally under water.
My family home was right here.
- There's nothing there, though.
- Nothing there, no.
The water pushed
my home about five feet
off the foundation.
Daddy had it torn down
because you couldn't do
nothing with it
So this is the new wall.
And I watched the storm
that just left, Gustav,
and the water was all
the way up to the top.
Why didn't they make it
a bit taller?
Oh look, they figured a surge
is always about 12 feet high.
and they made it right
at twelve feet.
You would have thought
after Katrina,
they would have made it 15 feet,
Yeah. You thought
they would have did that,
but they didn't.
Money, money, money.
This is the exact spot
where the levee broke.
So what happened?
Well, the surge came in, man,
the water just went all
the way up
and finally I think
a barge started hitting it.
So a boat was getting--
So it was like a hammer.
Yeah, with the water
just steady going,
and finally it broke,
and it just rushed through
the neighbourhood
like you wouldn't believe--
So there were people
still in their houses?
Some people stayed.
Lots of people stayed.
A lot of people died down here.
Really?
It's crazy.
Wow.
So it's almost like a whole town
just got scrubbed off the map.
Yeah. The Lower Ninth Ward
definitely got scrubbed off
the map.
While the tourist areas
of New Orleans
have been rebuilt,
these poorer, largely
African American districts,
are simply beyond repair.
Despite this,
the fighting spirit
of the community
is alive and well,
at the fortnightly street party
known as the Second Line.
- It's like a big carnival.
- Right.
It's good, good music,
lots of people
dancing their butts off.
And lots of good cooking
going on down there?
Oh, yeah.
There's about 40 trucks.
You're not going to believe
the cooking that's going on.
- Right.
- It's amazing.
I'll check that out.
Yeah, you should
definitely check out
a Second Line while you're here.
- Thank you, Jamie.
- Thanks for everything, yeah.
I want to set up
my own Gumbo stall
at tomorrow's Second Line.
But, if I'm going to cook
for a bunch of locals,
I want to get it right.
And I'm starting to realise
that Gumbo queen, Leah Chase,
has kept a few
of her secrets from me.
I was slightly disappointed
with Leah,
cause she was giving me
a real cheat's Gumbo, right?
And that was her
being incredibly generous,
because she, I mean,
she said herself
that an authentic Gumbo
would take three or four hours
on a slow wood-fired stove.
And I appreciate
her giving me cheat,
but I can cheat myself,
do you know what I mean?
What I wanted
was the definitive Gumbo.
So these recipe books
are kind of giving me
a bit of a helping hand
at the moment.
Look, this is a whole book
on Gumbo.
It's quite early,
it's about six in the morning.
But we've got to kind
of get started early
cause if you're going to go down
to the Second Line,
you have to be there by 11.
After a night of research,
I'm still unsure
what makes a definitive Gumbo.
So I'm cooking a bit blind.
At the end of the day,
if it's a kind of stew soup
that's tasting delicious,
around a few basic principles,
then it should be
a bloody good Gumbo.
The three key elements
of my Gumbo
are the Holy Trinity,
which is onion,
celery and bell pepper,
a really tasty broth,
and a mix of fat and flour,
called a roux,
cooked till dark.
What's happening now
is it's kind of becoming
a beautiful intense
sweet muddle of flavours.
I'm a bit pushed
for time, really.
My main ingredients
are hot sausage,
and locally caught crab
and shrimp.
Spicing it up with a good dose
of cayenne pepper.
It's sort of burning my face.
So it's like I've just
had a mouthful of mace.
Okay. Brain, think.
I'm going to put
the okra in now.
See that's a sort
of a gluey-ness
That's the sort of natural
thickening agent of it.
Oh. Forgot my sausage.
Once I've got my sausage
and seafood in,
I add a couple
of juicy ripe tomatoes
to finish things off,
and a squeeze of lemon.
And we have got
one mighty fine Gumbo.
It's got attitude,
it's not a pushover Gumbo.
I'm going to let that just tick.
Tick, tick, tick.
We've got everything in the van,
we're trying to go quite
slowly over the bumps
so we don't spill anything.
Second Lines
are promoted by word of mouth,
and take place
in the dodgier parts of town.
I'm going to start serving
in about half an hour,
I think, when people start...
I think we'll just feel it.
I'm just going to go with it.
These back street parties
started off as fund raisers
to pay for funerals.
Though they no longer
serve that purpose,
Second Lines are still there
to laugh in the face of death
and destruction.
How are you doing?
You guys are all
from the same club, or...?
Yeah.
We represent! We got 60...
We're the third
I don't know.
I haven't got a clue
what he just said.
Come on, the Gumbo. Gumbo!
Essex style.
Have a little bit of Gumbo.
Do you want to try some?
You cooked it?
With all my love.
I hope you love it.
- I need another one.
- Another one?
You know what?
It sounds really cheesy,
but I don't think you can
really understand
the heart of Gumbo
unless you see
all this sort of stuff.
Come on, the Gumbo.
There you go, beautiful.
Fine, brother.
This is not Louisiana Gumbo,
so what's the name of this?
- Jamie Gumbo.
- Jamie Gumbo?
But you're eating it
so you must like it.
It's delicious.
It's not quite
New Orleans flavour,
but it's good.
I like it.
It's some good Gumbo, yeah.
Who taught you
how to make that Gumbo?
- Miss Leah Chase.
- Oh, best in the world.
I'm trying, I'm trying.
New Orleans is one
of the greatest cities
in the world, man.
And they're all coming out
the doors. Look at this.
Southend-on-Sea
is not like this at all.
There's definitely something
very special about New Orleans
that you can't quite
put your finger on.
Like, my girl over there
is serving a Korean dish
as a black woman,
and a Gumbo
is a slave black dish
that's been through
French, German, French...
like influences.
Just seems like a really
successful melting pot,
do you know what I mean?
It's my last night
in New Orleans,
and I'm determined
to keep going.
Uh, what's good?
Hurricane?
- Is that a cocktail?
- Yeah.
Yeah, lovely,
I'll have one of those.
- Alright.
- Cheers.
Bit ironic, isn't it?
Naming your special a hurricane.
What's in a hurricane?
It's four shots of rum
and four ounces
of Pat O'Brien's
hurricane medicine.
Four shots of rum?
That's what we're famous for.
It's where they originated.
Wow. Ooh-hoo.
It's months until the city's
famous Mardi Gras parade,
but it seems like
everyone's jumped on board
the New Orleans party train.
This is insane. I don't know
why they're doing it.
They're mental.
They just like to party.
With New Orleans back to normal
after the most recent hurricane,
I'm heading out of the city
to the areas that got worst
hit by the storms.
Oh, my god. It's like a tank.
I want to see
if the badly hit locals
in the Louisiana countryside
are still partying.
But after last night's boozing,
I've got to take it
a bit steady.
We've just stopped
to get some petrol
and then, having not eaten
any shit for 12 years
I've just gone in there
and for some reason,
it feels right to go
and buy a load of shit.
The thing is,
it does taste good.
But it's so salty.
They don't do anything
by halves out here.
I'm about to eat the Honey bun.
Here goes.
What else have we got?
M&Ms. I've missed you.
I know that I'm going
to feel sick.
But that Snickers was so good.
I don't want to work anymore.
I've got my junk food.
I'm heading into Cajun country,
a place
where in the 18th century
the French settlers refused
to be part of the USA,
and that independent spirit
still lives on.
It's now three weeks
after Louisiana was rocked
by Hurricane Gustav,
and this area took
the full brunt of the storm.
The thing
that's quite interesting
is obviously everyone's heard
about Hurricane Katrina
but actually Hurricane Gustav
was much, much worse
in this area
than Katrina ever was.
Hurricane Gustav tore inland
from the coast,
through Louisiana's
suburban towns
and rural communities,
devastating homes and businesses
throughout the whole
of Cajun country.
It certainly interesting
driving through here.
There's roofs off of things,
trees fallen over,
people doing
clear up everywhere.
A local restaurant owner
who was knocked sideways
by the storm
has offered to put me up.
What's really interesting
is every time
something bad happened
in the world,
Um...
humans naturally go back
to old sort of rituals
of getting round
the table and eating.
In wars,
food was incredibly important,
and I've got friends that even
worked in the Tribeca area
of New York when September 11th
happened, you know.
Getting those restaurants
open soon
was really important.
Not just to nourish people,
but to kind of keep
their kind of spirits high.
I'm driving all day
through Cajun country
to get to the restaurant.
On the way, there's a chance
for me to get my hands
on one of the region's
most exciting ingredients.
But if I'm going to stop off,
I'd best make it snappy.
I'm going to go and meet
a lady called Sydney May,
who hunts alligator.
I'm a little bit nervous
Cause, um, cause they bite you.
Sydney May Durand has lived
Cajun life to the full.
Before hunting alligators,
she's been a rodeo rider,
and a representative
for Congress.
Hello.
She's agreed to let me
join her hunting party if,
in return, I cook what we catch.
Sydney May.
How are you doing?
What a pleasure.
What a pleasure to meet you.
How are you, darling?
I asked if I could kiss you.
Ah.
- I'm here.
- That's great, that's great.
I think you're going
to enjoy it.
We went and scouted this morning
and we saw some nice alligators.
And how do you know
a nice alligator?
Is it just a big one?
Well, a nice one will be
about nine foot,
eight foot, nine foot.
Nine foot? That is big.
That would take my arm off,
wouldn't it?
If we can only catch it.
Watch in the back.
There's going to be alligators.
There's going to be alligators.
Look at that. You see it watch
a duck go under the water.
This is where we're going
to put the first one.
- I'm a bit scared, here.
- Hey, watch it.
Do they ever come on land?
Yeah. But you just look
before walk.
Yeah, but that's... Christ.
Are you not scared at all?
- No.
- Okay.
Oh, there's one. Brother.
There's one.
- Can you see it?
- Oh, my god.
Look, there he is.
I'm shitting myself.
This may be no picnic,
but it is a family day out
for Sydney May's clan
who are here to put out
the bait.
Okay, so this is your version
of a fishing rod.
Yo.
So there's your hook.
This is the most amazing form
of fishing I've ever seen.
How did the hurricane affect
the farm, or the 'gators?
Bad,
When it turns up the water,
all the bad stuff
in the bottom comes up
and it kills the fish.
- Right.
- So then the alligators
had a lot to eat.
So the season
wasn't good at the beginning.
The hurricane
messed up everything.
Goes through the water.
Go through the water.
Yeah. I bet you boys are having
a right laugh at me.
Fee fi fo fum.
I smell the blood
of an Englishman.
Yeah. Don't wind me up.
How will the alligator know
the chicken's there?
Can it smell?
You see it dripping,
the fat is floating on the top.
I think, I think
you can catch a big one.
I hope so.
Tomorrow morning
at nine o'clock,
and I promise you you'll dream
about it tonight.
Half an hour from Sydney May's
is McGee's Landing,
my base for the rest of my stay.
It's got a great reputation
for Cajun cooking
but for now McGee's,
just like Dooky Chase
after Katrina, is shut down.
Hey, Dave.
How are you doing, man?
- Welcome to Cajun country, man.
- Thank you.
Three weeks ago,
110 mile an hour winds
tore the tin roof off
of David Allemond's restaurant
and sent it sprawling
across the car park.
Then the storm caused more
than $100,000 worth
of damage to the interior.
McGee's has been closed
for business ever since.
We had an open deck here
which the wind got up
from under it.
And then pushed it off.
Then peeled the rest
of the roof off.
Right.
During the hurricane Angel
the same thing happened.
Now, during Lily
I lost just a section of it,
so this is the third roof
since we built this building.
You are a brave man.
David's situation
is pretty dire.
Wasted stock,
a mounting wage bill,
and an unworkable kitchen.
So was the roof off here?
Yes. This was completely off.
So the kitchen got completely--
The kitchen
got completely smashed.
I mean, I've never seen
a kitchen with its roof
torn off but look at this.
Everything will be replaced
and you know, it's going
to be done by Friday.
You're going to have
a relaunch party?
Yeah, man, we're going to get
together and have a grand--
- How are you going to do it?
- Well--
Is it dinner and dance?
Dinner and dance.
Great. How many people.
A hundred and fifty people.
A hundred or so.
If there's anything
that I can do to help,
- I'll be there for you.
- I will put you to work, Jamie.
- I want to be put to work.
- I will put you to work.
In return for letting me stay,
I've offered to come up
with my very own
Louisiana inspired menu
and cook
David's relaunch dinner.
- Can I ask you a question?
- Yeah.
Are there any 'gators
in this water?
- Yeah.
- Oh, for Christ's sake.
I do sleepwalk.
Oh, my god.
It's a bit more exciting
than the Norfolk Broads.
While David makes
the site fit for public use,
I'm off to check my trap.
Let's go get those 'gators.
I grew up in the country so,
you know,
hunting in my world
is all about rabbits, hares,
partridge, pheasant,
but nothing that could kill you.
Nothing that can fight back.
Sydney May has sensed
that I'm nervous
so she's called in
reinforcements.
This is my granddaughter,
Whitney,
who has been helping me
for years.
- Nice to meet you.
- And this is her friend, Katie.
So how old are you girls?
- Eleven.
- Eleven.
I hear you're a bit
of professional catcher.
11-year-old Whitney
has been in Sydney May's
hunting party
since she was seven.
Your nan says you're real good.
So what are we going to do?
Are we going to head out?
Yeah.
They's gone.
See the lines going
into the water.
There's an alligator gone
into that line.
You got a cap in there?
I want to put some in--
I'm not going to pull on that
until you put caps in that, boy.
You've got to get
down here with it.
- Are you joking?
- Wait.
Well, I hope
I don't slip in at this point.
I'll help you.
Are you holding him?
Sydney May! For Christ's sake,
shoot the thing.
Oh, god!
It still feels pretty alive
to me.
Wait a minute.
There you go.
Well done, Sydney May.
Third time lucky.
After Sydney May
finally bagged our first 'gator,
her youngest recruit shows me
how to finish one off.
Whit, do you want to shoot one?
Get the gun.
It ain't dead yet.
Right in between the eyes.
Well done. Good shot.
I think that looks,
you know, fairly odd to us,
but you know,
I was her age when my dad
used to take me out with .410,
getting rabbits and hare.
I mean, 99.9 percent
of us are so disconnected
from the process
of hunter gathering,
you know, eating off the land,
you know, there's a chicken,
wring its neck,
pluck it, gut it,
draw it, you know,
do you know what I mean?
So you know,
I think now more than ever,
sort of, this sort of set up
is unusual to modern day people.
Seeing an 11-year-old do it
doesn't make it any
less daunting, unfortunately.
Be careful.
I've never been so ready
in all my life.
You got him that time.
That's your first 'gator.
Let's just have a look.
Well you got a six foot.
Never seen or done
anything like that before.
And I don't know how I'm going
to explain that one
to my mum and dad.
Oh, Gordon Bennett.
Where do you want it,
mate, in there?
Before I can cook my 'gator,
I need to get to its meat.
Right. Here?
Yeah.
This is my chance to really
get beneath the skin
of Louisiana.
Just take your little blower.
- Up the jacksie.
- Right, under the skin.
Alright. There you go.
Then you cut the feet off.
Is that right?
Take it back all the way down.
Just like pork.
And then this bit here
is like a sea bass.
This cheek, that'll be one
of the nicest bits
of meat here.
Almost got it.
Okay. Now I'm kind of looking
at this now as a chef,
thinking what's the best bit?
What is the best bit,
this part here?
Let me show you, here, watch.
Go down the middle, right here.
Ah. It's an inner seam.
So that's what I'm going
to be cooking with today.
It looks like
a piece of chicken.
Back at Sydney May's,
it's time to keep my end
of the bargain,
and cook up that 'gator
for my fellow hunters.
Just a minute, what's this?
Ah.
It's the bullet.
Oh.
Maybe not that bit, eh?
I'm going to make
a black Cajun rub.
It seems everyone in Louisiana
likes food that packs a punch
so I'm not going to hold back
on the flavours.
I'm making a rub
with pepper, salt, cayenne,
thyme and bay.
So I'm going to mix
that up like this.
Look at that.
It'll have a hell
of a kick to it,
don't you worry about that.
What I'm going to do now
is pour this on the alligator.
Mustard. Just to harmonise
all the flavours.
I'm just going to mix it
all up now.
So there you go.
Now, what I'm going to do
is put the oil in.
When that oil's nice and hot...
I'm going to cook some...
That's frying off nice.
Nice. I think we're there.
Done some sweet potatoes
in the coals of the barbecue.
Just going to run
my knife down it like that.
Squeeze it.
Now I get my alligator.
I mean, it's quite
an incredible meat.
It's sort of meat,
but cause I know
where it's come from,
you kind of see it as 'gator,
and there's just no getting away
from it. It's a 'gator.
And then literally,
I'm just going to serve that
with some of our lovely salsa.
Look at that.
Beautiful.
Wow.
It's got the most
incredible texture.
Uh...
It's sort of,
feels kind of like
chicken and pork,
but I'm not quite sure.
Um, delicious.
The local catch phrase
is "let the good times roll."
And it may not be
the bustle of New Orleans,
but this lot
still love to party.
What differences
in your lifestyle is there
compared to the rest of America?
You never know when
your last day is going to be,
so just enjoy today.
Exactly.
I moved down here in the 60s.
I came down, believe it or not,
as a baseball player.
And if I had to say
what's unique about the area
and the people,
it's just a love of life
and they enjoy life,
enjoy food, enjoy living.
Joie de vivre, as they say.
Were you supposed to go home?
-Yeah.
I think foreigners see America
as this big machine,
and it never thinks of it
as being intimate
and small and special
and quaint,
and that's what I got today.
So, apart
from about 25 mosquito bites,
you know, so it was a good day.
Good day.
The worst the hurricanes did
to Sydney May
was spoil
the alligator hunting season.
But at McGee's Landing,
David's livelihood is at stake.
With only 24 hours
until 100 guests
arrive for the relaunch party,
there's still loads to do.
- Hi, Dave!
- Hey, man.
How are you feeling about it?
Are you okay? Up, down?
I'm just tired right now, man.
Yeah.
Just tired.
As far as cooking's concerned,
and serving,
what we need is a room,
a kitchen,
and a bathroom that works,
and we can do it, easy.
We haven't got any.
Um, I'm not sure
whether to start,
in the kitchen
or out in the hall?
Okay.
I'm going to start
moving stuff out, I think.
It's my last morning
in Louisiana,
but I've got 100 guests
to cook for.
I've offered to help out
Cajun restaurateur,
David Allemond,
by cooking
at his relaunch party.
It was a month today
that Gustav hit this area
and ripped his roof off
for the third time.
And actually,
this will be the first time
customers have been back,
get some cash through the tills
and from one restaurateur
to another,
that'll be a bloody relief.
A full refurb
will take weeks to complete,
but tonight's about putting
David's place back on the map.
The centrepiece
of our meal tonight
is going to be a pork roast.
It's cooked in a contraption
that I've never seen before
and they call it
a Cajun microwave.
Where does the heat source come?
Just from the top?
What will happen is
this thing heats up this metal
- Yeah.
- And the heat goes down.
The Cajun microwave.
That looks pretty good, brother.
Right. So we'll let
that cinder down.
And we can go and get all...
- Let's get that pork done.
- I'm always ready, baby.
Yeah.
The wood over there,
that barrel needs to be moved.
We need to start cooking,
but after a full month trying
to get this restaurant reopened
David's exhausted
and struggling to focus.
Look, tell Jarred not to--
I told him to come
and pick this up but he won't.
How do you ever pin Dave down?
He's like a snake.
He goes everywhere.
Yeah, you can't pin him down.
I want you to pick up trash,
Jarred, any fucking can,
any piece of paper,
everything, dude.
I don't need to tell you
what to do.
Let's go, David.
- Yeah, man.
- Let's make this thing happen.
I can feel it.
But no sooner is be back
than he's off again.
Whoa! Whoa!
What the f--
Hillbillies. Up here.
There's feet in the roof.
How are you doing up there,
boys?
- Good.
- We're all good, bro.
Hey G, you looking for that one?
You're not using some of my
good knives up there, are you?
It's just fibreglass.
Well, yeah, but that's,
that's for food.
I've never worked in a kitchen
where the air conditioning
specialists
are using your knife.
With the knives back
with the cooks,
we can finally get cracking.
Inspired by
the spicy 'gator sauce
I made at Sydney May's
I'm going a roast shoulder
of pork, Cajun style.
I'm going to go heavy
on bay, right?
And I've done stuff
before with bay,
not just a little bit,
but when you a whole load.
As well as seasoning,
my bay rub's got a whole load
of garlic in it, and vinegar.
So this is serious flavour here.
I'm going to stuff the pork
with the insides
of a local spicy sausage,
just like the ones that I had
at Kermit's New Orleans
roadside barbecue.
I'm just after a tiny bit
of that smoked flavour,
so I'm just,
I don't need all of this.
Just need a little bit,
and I'm going to poke
a few holes
and just put a little bit
of this in,
just for that smokiness.
Delicious.
Let's do it.
You'll have to be careful, man,
because it's very hot.
Oh, damn.
The thing is,
it expands, doesn't it?
Ooh.
- It's like this.
- You know what?
There's something about
this sort of whole Cajun thing
that's quite chaotic.
But I sort of like it.
Fuck, man.
Look, he still
hasn't picked up this shit.
Here he comes.
If in doubt...
If we get this stuff in
real quick...
We'll leave those in there
for about an hour or so.
The cooking's under way
and the main building
work's all done.
So, it's time to get
all hands on deck
and turn this hurricane site
into a working restaurant.
The ambitious thing about this
is that we're cooking
for 100 people
a half decent meal.
The ambitious thing is
cooking in a kitchen
that's fucked.
He loves the stuffed animals.
Okay!
My name's Jamie Oliver,
if you don't know...
The whole point
of this trip for me
was because I wanted
to get under the skin
of American culture for real,
and I know that I've seen it,
and witnessed it.
I tell you what.
This guy caught on fast.
You talk about a good alligator,
but I'm glad
he doesn't live around here
'cause I'd have trouble.
OK. We got for starters,
or appetisers as you call it,
we've got the freshest crab.
And then once you've had that,
because the hurricane
broke all our plates,
we're going to quickly
grab your plates,
we're going to rush them
into the dishwasher...
look, listen, you thought you
were going to get slick service.
This, this night
is going to last for ever.
Dave. What you could do,
just for five minutes,
if you could,
a little bit of your sauce
- on that crab meat.
- I got it.
Just on the side.
That would be beautiful,
and then we're going
to come round and do the salad.
Because of the hurricanes,
we couldn't get enough
alligator for everyone,
so instead, we've got
a kicking crab salad
with a special
spicy Cajun sauce.
Very good crab. Very good.
You can tell it's freshly caught
and the sauce on top
was excellent as well.
For mains, we're serving
my roast shoulder of pork,
fresh from the Cajun microwave.
There you are,
it just falls off the bone.
That's tender.
It just smells like Gumbo.
Oh, it's a wonderful evening.
It's nice to see these guys
getting back on their feet,
isn't it?
It's good.
And the food's wonderful.
Louisiana's a bit like--
have you ever got
into jelly beans?
And then when you get into them,
they have these little books
you open up,
and you do a cocktail
and you put them
in your gob in one second.
And like, Louisiana,
if you take a bit of French,
a bit of English,
a bit of German,
a bit of Spanish,
a bit of Italian,
a bit of African, you roll it up
and you put it in your gob...
and that's Louisiana.
It's like Gumbo.
I had no idea this
would be such a great turnout.
Although I had a good feeling,
I really didn't know
what to expect,
and I am full of awe.
It brings me from a real low
into a major high.
My Louisiana food quest is over,
and I have no doubt
that whatever happened here,
everyone will always
feast and party
in the face of disaster.
Look, as far as I'm concerned,
the whole hurricane thing
is crazy.
If that happened to me and my
family I would be...
...straight off.
But, easier said than done,
and I think
when you've got friends
and family and a life somewhere,
and it has its ups and every now
and again its downs,
I think you learn
to be resilient,
and I think that's what,
that's what I've learned
about the people, you know.
Next time, I'm no longer
partying in Louisiana.
Instead,
I'm California dreaming.
Come on girls. Whack it.
Where I'll be throwing myself
into family fiestas...
...finding fresh flavours...
Oh, man. That is insanely good.
What's it like? Viagra?
...and swapping glamour...
Where's Pamela Anderson?
...for gangs.
I got shot in the hand.
I lost my fingers.
Street life. You know,
that's the life I live.