White House chef to be honored in Juneteenth Foodways Festival
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The first woman to be professionally employed by President Benjamin Harrison, will be honored at a food festival this weekend. In 1889 the president fired his French chef to make room for Dolly Johnson.
Dolly Johnson story is unique. She was a formally enslaved person who ultimately moved up the ranks to become chef to two presidents, and a businesswoman. The inaugural Juneteenth Foodways Festival is a way to Spotlight how Black culture has influence cuisine and entrepreneurship.
A black and white picture captures a lone figure in a old time kitchen. The central figure in the photo is Laura “Dolly’ Johnson.
“We wanted to highlight her and show how special she was, and just show the legacy of Black chefs in the country,” said special events coordinator, Whitney Ball.
In 1889, President Harrison fired his French chef, turning the kitchens over to Dolly. A shocking move at the time considering the previous President Grover Cleveland fired her then asked her back and she said no.
“So just to have that story. We have some knowledge of who she was as a person and then she goes on to be a businesswoman and people are coming from Washington just to have her food,” said Ball.
It’s that legacy that inspired the Harrison Presidential site’s upcoming inaugural Juneteenth Foodways Festival on Friday. Business owners of today will recreate some of Dolly’s recipes.
“Just as Dolly, my mom makes a coleslaw, and she makes one so I figured if we brought the two together we should have a masterpiece,” said Grub House owner Latoya Williams.
Williams is one of the nearly 20 businesses participating in the recipe recreations. She says staying afloat during the pandemic, helps her understand Dolly’s spirit of resiliency, and walking a path that’s not always smooth.
“Just the fact that she didn’t give up and didn’t let color be a factor or any of that because it doesn’t matter food is food,” Williams said.
To further recognize Juneteenth, guests will be able to tour the Harrison house learn what Indianapolis was like then. There will also be period reenactments from Freetown Village.