Justin Wilson (chef)

Justin Elmer Wilson(April 24, 1914 – September 5, 2001) was aSouthern Americanchefandhumoristknown for his brand ofCajun-inspired cuisine, humor and storytelling.
Wilson was born inRoselandnearAmite, the seat ofTangipahoa Parish, one of the "Florida Parishes" of southeastern Louisiana. He was the second-youngest of seven children ofHarry D. Wilson, theLouisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestryfrom 1916 to 1948 and a former member of theLouisiana House of Representatives.
While Wilson presented himself as Cajun in his act, it is unclear if he had any actualAcadianorFrenchancestry. His father Harry Wilson was of Welsh descent. Justin Wilson described his mother, the former Olivet Mintern Toadvin (1880–1976), as Cajun, but she has no known ancestors who either wereAcadian, lived in theCajun regions of Louisiana, or emigrated fromFrance. (She did, however, teach Justin how to cook.) Her surname Toadvin derives from a native ofGuernseywho immigrated toMarylandcirca 1675. The Florida Parishes, where the family lived, were not part of theFrenchorSpanishcolonies of Louisiana.
Wilson began his career as asafety engineerwhile he traveled throughoutAcadiana. The safety lectures that he made to refinery workers prompted him to become a Cajun storyteller. He remembered it this way on the back cover ofThe Justin Wilson Cook Book:
Wilson later recorded several comedy albums, beginning withThe Humorous World of Justin WilsononEmber Records. He also recorded several albums forJewel Recordson the Paula label and a few forCapitol Records. He later appeared as a guest on the popularCBSseriesThe Ed Sullivan Show. He was known for thecatchphrase, "I gar-on-tee!" (I guarantee).
As a comedian, Wilson was enormously popular in Louisiana, and to a lesser degree in neighboring states, but his humor may have been a little too specifically regional to enjoy the wider popularity of Southern comics such asJerry ClowerorArchie Campbell.
He composed ten songs, as well as composing the background music for his cooking show, and recorded one album of Christmas songs with a jazz band. Wilson wrote seven Cajuncookbooksand two books of Cajun stories. He hosted severalcooking showson Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) during the 1980s and 1990s including “Louisiana Cookin’,” which was distributed nationally on Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) and at least one in 1975, for Mississippi Educational Television (ETV),that combinedCajun cookingand humor. Some episodes were aired from the studios ofWYES-TVinNew Orleans.
Wison appeared in a series of television commercials for Cajun SpiceRuffles potato chipsduring the late 1980s. In 1997, he published the cookbook "Looking Back", which combined his first two cookbooks in a hardcover format, with additional photos, and notes on how his cooking techniques had changed (e. g., using olive oil instead ofoleo) since those early cookbooks were published. A companion series was produced, also titled "Looking Back" and broadcast nationwide on PBS, which was a repackaging of Wilson's first cooking show from 1971, with new intros by Wilson himself. This was the first time the 1971 programs were ever seen nationwide, as they were originally produced by Mississippi Educational Television and, at that time, were only broadcast regionally.
Southern author Harnett T. Kane said of Wilson: "I know of no one [else] who portrays the Louisiana Cajun as well, so skillfully and entertainingly".
But Wilson faced criticism from many Cajuns who viewed his humor as degrading, especially from a non-Cajun essentially doing a Cajun impression.James Domengeaux, a former member of Congress and founder ofCODOFIL, considered Wilson a degrader of the Cajun people.
Wilson was asegregationist, speaking at least twice at national leadership conferences of theCitizens' Councils, alongsideLester Maddox,John Rarick, andJohn G. Schmitz.
Justin Wilson was married four times. His third wife died and his three other marriages ended in divorce.He had one son and three daughters: Harry D. Wilson II, Sara Sue, Pam, and Menette.Wilson's last residence was inSummitinPike County,Mississippi. He died on September 5, 2001, of heart failure in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is interred beside his third wife at Port Vincent Community Cemetery (also known as Saint William Catholic Cemetery) inPort VincentinLivingston Parish.