NEW ORLEANS (AP) 鈥� Louisiana is known for delivering food with big, bold flavor. The same can be said for the founder of the Popeyes fried chicken empire, who put spicy chicken, red beans and dirty rice on the national map and whose story is outlined in a new book, 鈥淪ecrets of a Tastemaker: Al Copeland, The Cookbook.鈥�
Copeland's son Al Copeland Jr. said he and authors Chris Rose and Kit Wohl tried to capture the 鈥渞eal life and times of Al Copeland" in the book released last month.
The elder Copeland, who died in 2008, , but was also known for philanthropic endeavors 鈥� including 鈥淪ecret Santa鈥� missions to thousands of children in metro New Orleans and the at his home. For a time, he even had a successful offshore powerboat racing career.
鈥淪ome people thought he was flashy and flamboyant, and he was," his son said in an interview with The Associated Press. "But what they didn鈥檛 know was that everything that was his was yours 鈥� whether that was a Lamborghini or just welcoming you into his home. He was very much a man who enjoyed seeing people happy.鈥�
Copeland built 鈥� and 鈥� the Popeyes fried chicken empire. His first restaurant opened 50 years ago, in 1972, in the New Orleans suburb of Arabi. The 鈥淟ove That Chicken" jingle, still used in commercials today, debuted in 1980.
The book recounts Copeland's boldness in cooking, and includes recipes 鈥� though not those associated with Popeyes, his son said. Readers can get a glimpse, he said, into the kind of food Al Copeland used in Copeland鈥檚, the casual dining restaurant chain venture he started in 1983.
The book includes dishes served at the Copeland family table, including corn and crab bisque, crawfish bread, ricochet catfish, crawfish eggplant au gratin, and pork tenderloin CP3, named for
鈥淲hat runs throughout the book ... is the story of the American dream,鈥� Copeland Jr. said. 鈥淭his book is about a guy who didn鈥檛 have much of anything, not much of an education and he was living in a world that wouldn鈥檛 give him much of a shot.鈥�
By 1989, there were 700 Popeyes franchises in the United States and abroad, and Copeland leveraged those assets to That move gave him control over 2,000 chicken restaurants. But the success was short-lived: A little more than two years later, the merged company had amassed more than $400 million in debt and, in 1991, Copeland filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for Al Copeland Enterprises.
In May 1992, the bankruptcy court awarded Copeland鈥檚 creditors total control of his chicken empire under a new name, America鈥檚 Favorite Chicken Company. Copeland did retain ownership of the Popeyes recipes and the manufacturing company that made the seasonings, according to the book.
鈥淎lthough he was not operating Popeyes, the company could not operate 鈥� not even exist 鈥� without him,鈥� the book reads. 鈥淭hat ruling reinforced Al鈥檚 longtime belief that he should always have a back door, an alternative plan for change.鈥�
In 2017, Restaurant Brands International Inc. acquired Popeyes.
Liz Williams, founder of the said Copeland was known for being bold, in thought and business.
鈥淗e has done almost more than any other chef to get the city's most authentic flavors to people everywhere,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think of him as an ambassador for New Orleans ... because wherever there's a Popeyes, then you have the chance to get a piece of New Orleans.鈥�
The September book launch helped mark the 50th anniversary of Popeyes. Copeland Jr. said the fried chicken franchise was founded when he was 9 years old so he鈥檚 had a 鈥渃hance to experience the whole ride from the poorer times to the exciting times.鈥�
鈥淭his project is bringing back a lifetime of memories and it鈥檚 a way for my father鈥檚 legacy to live on,鈥� he said.
Chevel Johnson, The Associated Press
