[joiei]

The first restaurant critic in New Orleans

Friday, we learned that New Orleans' first restaurant critic had died in Birmingham, Ala. Richard Collin, who wrote "The New Orleans Underground Gourmet" and subsequently was hired as The States-Item's restaurant critic, was one of the 20th century's most influential contributors to New Orleans cuisine.

The restaurant criticism is only part of his legacy, however. Equally important is "The New Orleans Cookbook, " written with his wife, Rima, and first published in 1975. It is still in print, is one of the staples of the local bookshelf and is popular nationwide.

From the Times Picayune