When he passed away in 2004, the late great musician Ray Charles left us with a wonderful catalog of his music. But he left something else as well; he endowed a chair at the historically black Dillard University in New Orleans. It is for the preservation of African-American foodways. The first scholar in residence to hold the chair was culinary historian Jessica Harris. Lynne Rossetto Kasper talked with Harris about the position and Ray Charles's connection to food. Note: this interview originally aired in March 2008 as part of Episode 387: Bananas and Politics.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Lynne Rossetto Kasper has won numerous awards as host of The Splendid Table, including two James Beard Foundation Awards (1998, 2008) for Best National Radio Show on Food, five Clarion Awards (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014) from Women in Communication, and a Gracie Allen Award in 2000 for Best Syndicated Talk Show.