Bio
New Orleans Icon
Ms. Linda Green is well-known and highly regarded as a New Orleans Icon in the community.
In addition to her local notoriety, she is internationally known as the winner of Food Network’s Chopped Pride of New Orleans and has been featured on internationally syndicated TV shows including Anthony Bourdain’s Travel Channel show No Reservations. She was featured on the History Channel with Larry the Cable Guy, and Chef Jeffery Saad on Food Network’s United Taste of America. She won the Vegan Gumbo Contest for PETA and The Food Network in 2013.
Ms. Linda is an accomplished chef and has been featured in publications such as CNN, BBC, Travel Channel, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Thrillist, Times Picayune, ZAGAT Magazine, WHERE Y’AT Magazine, Louisiana Kitchen and Culture, Lucky Peach Magazine, New Orleans Magazine, Off Beat Magazine, Remedy Quarterly, Garden and Gun, AAA Southern Traveler and Gambit Magazine. Rolling Stone Magazine featured Ms. Linda’s Ya-Ka-Mein as the “Best Food on the Fest Grounds” for the 2014 Jazz and Heritage Festival.
From the Beginning
“I love what I do. I love to cook. Chefs and doctors; we never stop learning”
For the past 20 years+, Ms. Linda has sold her delectable soul food and Ya-Ka-Mein along second line routes, food events and festivals. Cooking has always been a part of Chef Linda’s life – as a child learning from her mother, Shirley Green, helping her mother with cooking and selling Ya-Ka-Mein, working for the Orleans Parish School Board in Food Service. Then Hurricane Katrina hit, and she wasn’t called back to work. However, since Ms. Linda already had a following from selling her food part time at festivals and local events, she made a decision to become a full-time culinary entrepreneur. Ms. Linda specializes in Catering and Soul Food cuisines for all events. Find her at soul food events such as: New Orleans jazz and Heritage Festival, Essence Festival, Crescent City’s Farmers Market, Louisiana Seafood Festival, Treme Jumbo Fest, Street Food Fest, Zulu Lundi Gras, BBQ Blues Fest, and the Ogden Museum, to name a few.
New Orleans Icon
“I love my city. My city is very, very good to me.”
Ms. Linda has received many awards and recognition including “Best Traditional Po’Boy” at the 2017 Po’Boy Festival, “Best Non-Traditional Dish” at the 2014 Sushi Festival, the “People’s Choice Award” at the 2013 Treme Creole Gumbo Festival, and, most recently, the 2018 State Farm Dream Achiever Award. Ms. Linda’s culinary career and experiences have shaped her into a successful entrepreneur and brought here notoriety among New Orleans natives and entertainers. Ms. Linda gives back to her community by donating her delicious meals to many local charities in the city.
Ya-Ka-Mein
Old Sober
“Ya-Ka-Mein is one of New Orleans’ well-best-kept secrets. They call it ‘Old Sober.’ Had one too many last night? This will fix you right up!”
Ya-Ka-Mein is one of New Orleans best kept secrets. It’s more than just a soup. It’s a meal in a bowl. Ya-Ka-Mein is filled with spaghetti noodles and chopped boneless chuck roast, garnished with chopped green onions and a boiled egg, and then topped off with soy sauce and hot sauce. However, the REAL star if the JUICE, made with Ms. Linda’s own secret Creole Soul spices.
Ms. Linda is world famous as the guardian of the secret juice recipe in her Ya-Ka-Mein. Taught how to make the broth by her mother Shirley Green, Ms. Linda keeps the tradition by lacing the broth with the perfect mixes of spices – not quite Asian, not quite Southern – adding noodles, green onions, a hard-boiled egg an hot sauce. It’s a sure-fire remedy for a New Orleans’ size headache, which is why it’s known as “Old Sober.”
Variety is the Spice of Life
The recipe is a family, and a cultural, tradition.
Ms. Linda offers Ya-Ka-Mein with a variety of tasty proteins including Traditional Beef, Shrimp, Duck, Alligator and a combo of Shrimp and Beef. For those vegetarians, she make a delicious Vegetarian option!
Ya-Ka-Mary
Ya-Ka-Mary
“It’s all about the Seasoning!”
Ms. Linda introduced The Ya-Ka-Mary into the New Orleans cocktail scene in 2017. Taking inspiration from her Ya-Ka-Mein recipe, the Ya-Ka-Mary has already received local recognition, winning awards at the various festivals : 2017 Best Overall Bloody Mary at the Creole Tomato Festival; 2018 1st Place People’s and Judge’s Choice at the Bloody Mary Festival; and 2019 Most Creative Bloody Mary at the Creole Tomato Festival.
Her Ya-Ka-Mary is made from scratch, using the Ya-Ka-Mein flavors, with unique toppings that highlight her Bloody Mary mix.
Catering
Ms. Linda’s Soul Food Catering Co. offers a variety of home-style entrees for your next event, along with her famous Ya-Ka-Mein. From small intimate gatherings to large events, Ms. Linda can customize a menu to your liking. Click on a category below for to view each menu or download the menu HERE.
Email Miss Linda at theyakameinlady@gmail.com with any questions or for more info and availablity.
Press/Media
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