Food is more than sustenance—it is history, identity, and cultural memory. In this conversation, Edgar “Dook” Chase, moderated by Ti Martin, reflects on what it means to inherit, steward, and protect culinary traditions in a rapidly changing world. From Creole cuisine rooted in family, community, and civil rights history to the broader Southern foodways shaped by migration, adaptation, and reinvention, the panel explores why culinary heritage matters—and what’s at stake when it’s lost, diluted, or commodified. Together, they examine the responsibilities of chefs, restaurants, and cultural institutions in honoring the past while feeding the future.