Considered to be a non-negotiable condiment atop many a dinner table both inside and outside of the state of Louisiana, Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning and the company that produces this Creole pantry staple has celebrated 50 years in service with a commemorative can, according to this dutiful article from The Acadiana Advocate detailing the rich history of the company and its celebrated founder.
For many Louisianans, eating cuisine outside of the southern United States, the following scene looks all too familiar: the dish that you’re eating is blander than you’re used to and perhaps under-seasoned, at least according to your preferences. Then, just when you’re reaching for the salt and pepper shakers for a second time, one of your peers takes out the holy grail of southern spice blends, a can of Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Seasoning.
Family-owned and operated since 1972, this Louisiana pantry staple has recently hit a milestone and celebrated its 50th year in service with an anniversary edition of its iconic green, red, and white can that’s all-too-recognizable north of I-10. The new can features a classic version of its famous design but with a twist. Simply called “Tony’s Famous Creole Seasoning” in a harkening back to its earlier days, there’s also a commemorative 50th-anniversary seal as well as a classic illustration of the man who started it all, the “Ole Master” of fine Creole cuisine, Tony Chachere.
Oftentimes when Tony Chachere, the Opelousas-born Creole chef would be preparing a meal for his friends and family, he would be heard saying “tonight, I’m gonna make ’em cry.” This was due to his natural culinary inclination to “spice up” any meal he was a part of, and for 50 years now, his legacy lives on in the routine “spicing up” many meals in and outside of the state of Louisiana.
Chachere, an Opelousas sportsman and Creole chef, didn’t actually create his iconic Creole seasoning mix until 1972, the year he retired at the age of 65 and published Tony Chachere’s Cajun Country Cookbook. In a few short weeks, Chachere had sold 10,000 copies of his cookbook from the back of his Station Wagon, and while his supporters and fans appreciated his detailed and delicious recipes for Crawfish Hand Pies and Zesty Tuna Melts, they would continually ask him to sell his signature blend of spices.
Soon after, Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole seasoning was born and available state-wide; for the past 50 years, the spice blend and the Creole cuisine company turned 50 in 2022. The marketing director for Tony’s Chachere’s, Celeste Chachere, said in a statement, “what started as my great-grandfather’s life-long dream has now become a devoted mission for four generations of the Chachere family. Making the flavors of his beloved Cajun and Creole cuisine accessible to the world beyond Louisiana is what Mr. Tony was most passionate about, and we are continually looking for new ways to bring more flavor to every meal people eat, just as he always dreamed.”
It’s not an understatement to say that Tony Chachere’s seasoning is famous nation-wide, and many who find themselves eating a bland meal are thankful to see the notorious colors of the 8 oz. can. Chachere’s Creole seasoning has gone on to be used in dozens of cookbooks over the years, featured in films, and a staple of cooking contests. Chachere, who was honored in March 1995 as the first-ever inductee into the Louisiana Chefs Hall of Famebefore passing away one week later a few days shy of his 90th birthday, is a pioneer of Louisiana culinary tradition, and it’s all-the-more fitting for the brand’s semi-centennial anniversary to be celebrated with a commemorative can of the seasoning that started it all.
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