Book excerpt: In her first cookbook, Chef Toya creates 20 classic New Orleans recipes that will embeds the soul of the city in each dish. Her signature dishes like Seafood Gumbo and Oyster Rockefeller Pasta celebrate the rich heritage of the region and its connection to the Gulf Coast. Other recipes like Drunken Cherry Bread Pudding and Cajun Meat Pies stuffed with crawfish show her creative side, as she puts a unique twist on traditional cooking methods. As an authority on Cajun and Creole dishes, she brings a fresh and delightful view on New Orleans cooking, one of the greatest food cities in the world.She exemplifies her native city of New Orleans, not just through her cuisine, but with her zest for life and personality. Whether you're from New Orleans or visited the city and fell in love with its culture, this is the cookbook for you. Chef Toya invites you into her home and makes each dish a simple process for you're to recreate in your kitchen.