Nathalie Dupree, the chef, cookbook author, teacher and television host who brought Southern cooking to a wide audience, died in Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 13, 2025. She was 85. Her legacy spans cookbooks and television instruction, but also the students and younger cooks she encouraged.
From a restaurant ambition to teaching Southern cooking
According to the Southern Foodways Alliance’s oral history, Dupree told her mother at 19 that she wanted to be a restaurant cook. She studied at Cordon Bleu in London, ran a kitchen in Majorca and later opened Nathalie’s Restaurant in Social Circle, Georgia, with her then-husband. She went on to teach at Rich’s Cooking School in Atlanta and direct it for ten years, according to her official biography.
Teaching became a defining part of her work. Georgia Public Broadcasting reported that she taught thousands of students at Rich’s. In a 2014 interview with the broadcaster, Dupree described her mission as: “To teach people how to cook and teach them about Southern ingredients. That was always my mission.”
How her books and PBS series widened the view of Southern food
Dupree’s work presented Southern cooking as a broad, evolving cuisine rather than a narrow collection of familiar dishes. Her book New Southern Cooking and the PBS series of the same name helped bring that approach to readers and television audiences. Georgia Public Broadcasting reports that the series debuted on PBS in 1985.
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She also wrote Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking, among other titles. The number of cookbooks attributed to her varies: her official biography lists 14, Georgia Public Broadcasting reported 15 in January 2025, and the Southern Foodways Alliance oral-history page describes nearly 20. Those totals differ, so no single count is settled across these sources.
A legacy of mentorship and institution-building
Dupree’s influence extended beyond her own teaching and publications. The Washington Post described her as a generous mentor, particularly to younger women, and reported on her role in founding or supporting culinary organizations. Her official biography also records her work with culinary organizations and leadership of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival.
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Food writer John T. Edge, former director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, told the Post that Dupree belonged “in the top tier” of people whose careers shaped how Southerners see themselves and how the world sees Southerners. The Southern Living description “Queen of Southern Cooking,” relayed in reporting, captures her public stature, though it was not a formal title.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about her death
Dupree died in Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 13, 2025, at age 85. The accounts cited here do not establish a cause of death, so none is stated.
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Sources
- Nathalie Dupree’s official biography
- The Washington Post on Dupree’s life and legacy
- Georgia Public Broadcasting on Dupree’s career
- Southern Foodways Alliance oral history
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