Mildred “Mama Dip” Edna Cotton Council was born in the Baldwin Township of Chatham County. In her youth, she worked with her parents as sharecroppers; however, she knew from a very young age cooking was her calling. She worked in countless kitchens around Chapel Hill, eventually opening her own restaurant. Her restaurant would go on to receive love from influential people like Michael Jordan and President George W. Bush. Council also published two cookbooks and a line of food products.

Council passed away on May 20, 2018; however, her southern cooking legacy will not soon be forgotten. Along with the survival of her still very popular restaurant, many of her children and grandchildren work in the food business. Her work in the food industry not only impacted the food scene of Chapel Hill but also helped promote southern cooking on a national scale.

You can learn more about Mama Dip in this podcast produced by Ella Sullivan for a Girl Scout Gold Award. Listen and read here:

https://chathamspast.wixsite.com/alookinto/mildred-mama-dip-edna-cotton-council

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