To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the internationally lauded fried chicken empire, Popeyes, comes the pre-sale announcement of Secrets of a Tastemaker: Al Copeland The Cookbook. Sharing over 100 recipes and countless stories about larger-than-life Al Copeland, founder of Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken and Copeland’s Restaurants of New Orleans, by Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times best-selling author Chris Rose, and Kit Wohl with the Copeland Family and foreword by Al Copeland Jr. The book is now available for Kindle pre-order; hardcover pre-order will commence on August 13, 2022, and the book will be released to the public on September 13, 2022, via Amazon at $29.95 hardcover and $14.95 Kindle E-Book.
Credited, in part, for bringing Cajun and Creole cooking to the national forefront, Al Copeland parlayed success as founder of Popeyes into Copeland’s Restaurants, introducing even more offbeat and ground-breaking ideas into the international restaurant scene. Al, Jr., his son, has followed as an innovator and creative driving force. They melded their Cajun and Creole cooking heritage into methods, combinations, and techniques as the art and love of cooking. While Popeyes was acquired by Restaurant Brands International Inc. in 2017, the beloved fried chicken chain remains an integral part of the Copeland family story. Expect a behind-the-scenes look at how the empire was built but know that no Popeyes recipes will be divulged in the book.
Al Copeland, or “Big Al” as he was affectionately referred to, was known to have a phenomenal knowledge of food and flavor and a remarkable palate that allowed him to break down and combine flavors. This book marks the first time proprietary techniques, recipes, seasoning, and spice combinations Big Al helped hone have been released. Can’t miss recipes include the Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Heat Chicken, Ricochet Catfish, Fettuccine Lamborghini, and Cajun Duckanoff.
“I’m extremely proud to be sharing my father’s story and some of our family recipes with the world amid such a momentous benchmark—the 50-year anniversary of Popeyes,” explains CEO and Chairman of the Board of Al Copeland Investments, Al Copeland, Jr. “We hope these recipes and delicious memories bring you closer to the impressive man I have the pleasure of calling ‘Dad’ and inspire a new generation of ambitious and outspoken entrepreneurs in his memory,” Al Jr. continues.
Beyond a prized collection of recipes, Secrets of a Tastemaker features an array of stories interspersed throughout painting a picture of Al Copeland’s road to success. From humble beginnings in a blue-collar New Orleans family and as a tenth-grade dropout, Al consistently went against conventional wisdom and business protocols—honing his renowned business acumen that led to the success of the Popeyes empire. Featuring direct accounts of his six “rules” of success all the way to his involvement in Offshore Powerboat Racing widely recognized (and litigated) Christmas display, the book is equal-parts cookbook and biography. The life and legacy of Al Copeland lives on in this book and through the mission of the Al Copeland Foundation, which serves to provide greater access to groundbreaking and lifesaving clinical trials for cancer patients through partnerships with the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.
