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Imagine three generations of women in the kitchen cooking gumbo, caouanne soup and red beans and rice, and then sharing that with extended family — uncles, aunts, cousins, great aunts and great uncles each weekend.
For attorney, entrepreneur, food and lifestyle writer and New Orleans native, Kara Johnson, those weekly family gatherings in the NOLA, in what she calls a “magical city,” was a catalyst to develop her seasoning blends, “The Cook Shop.”
“I knew I wanted the main ingredients of my seasonings to be vegetables, not salt, and they would come from family recipes passed down for generations…” Johnson explained. Named after her great great grandmother Meteye Reveal and her husband Joseph Reveal’s French Quarter restaurant called The CookShop, her seasoning blends borrows from family recipes dating back to the 1700s.
The CookShop seasonings are rooted in Creole and Cajun customs and offers familiar flavors without the hassle of prepping vegetables, herbs and spices. Alongside her friend two-time James Beard Scholar, chef Gason Yen Nelson, who’s cooked for celebrities such as Oprah, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, 50 Cent, Reggie Bush, DeMarcus Cousins and Matthew McConaughey — Johnson created her seasoning blends. Her Cajun seasoning is based on the holy trinity (bell pepper, onion and celery) and her Creole seasoning is tomato-based.
“Looking back on my childhood, it took many loving, helping hands to make the magical days that were my every day” Johnson said. “I want my 10-year-old son to experience this. I want you and your family and friends to experience this. This is what The CookShop Seasoning Blends help to do. They make cooking great food easy.”
Johnson’s mission is to “Shine a bright light on the best tasting cuisine in the world, made easy and affordable,” and with her product priced at $5, Johnson’s mission to bring her family, culture and legacy to food is as simple as purchasing from her website.