When Katrina hit Willie Mae’s Scotch House, most people assumed that they’d never taste another batch of Willie Mae Seaton’s famous fried chicken again. The 91-year-old Seaton, who won a James Beard award in 2005, saw her neighbourhood restaurant sit for days under five feet of water. With the help of the Southern Foodways Alliance and an army of volunteers, the restaurant looks even better than before. Everyone from local musicians to politicians cram into the cramped dining room for fried chicken, catfish, and pounded veal chops. Seaton retired recently, but her great-granddaughter has kept the tradition alive. Note: The neighbourhood surrounding Willie Mae’s has been slow to recover, so visitors should be cautious.