Join us on February 11th as we honor Mildred Cotton Council during our Sunday Celebration announcements!
Mildred Council (1929 - 2018) fondly known as Mama Dip was an African American renowned chef, restaurateur and author from Chatham County, North Carolina most known for her delicious southern cuisine. Her restaurant, Mama Dips Kitchen, became a popular local eatery and a home away from home especially for the students of University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her cookbook, Mama Dips Kitchen, was ranked by Southern Living magazine as one of the top 100 cookbooks of all time. Two of her most cherished memories was being invited to the White House by President George W Bush and also exchanging communications with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
As the granddaughter of enslaved grandparents, one of Mildre's most defining moments was being able to start her career using less than $70 that she had made while serving as a maid and cook in Chapel Hill, NC. $40 was used to purchase food and $24 was left on hand to use as change. Council once stated, "I just opened the door and the crowd just came". Famous customers included Venus Williams, Michael Jordan, Dean Smith, just to name a few. As a pioneer in her community, Mildred became known as being passionate about helping underprivileged children. Often donating money and holding fundraisers to assist kids that couldn't afford to attend camps or their school supplies. Mildred Council leaves behind inspiration for those with a humble beginning as example of how to make something from nothing. Her grandchildren are carrying on her legacy by maintaining the values she lived, opening their own restaurants and businesses regardless of their starts. We celebrate Mama Dip!
