A Philadelphia chef is bringing a piece of culinary history back to life — and helping the environment in the process.
According to Philadelphia Magazine, culinary director Chef Angie Brown at Rex at the Royal has reintroduced catfish and waffles, a once-beloved regional dish that dates back to the 1800s. Known then as the Wissahickon Supper, the hearty meal was a mainstay at riverside inns and roadhouses along the Schuylkill River. In its heyday, the dish reflected Philadelphia's identity as a bustling port city where local catfish were so abundant they were said to "blacken the narrow passages of the river."
Over time, however, pollution, overfishing, and Prohibition shuttered the taverns that once served this city favorite — and the dish eventually disappeared from local menus. Now, Brown is reviving it with a modern and sustainable twist: using the invasive blue catfish.
Originally introduced to the Chesapeake Bay decades ago, blue catfish have multiplied rapidly, disrupting native ecosystems by consuming blue crabs, striped bass, and even the occasional duck. With few natural predators and an ever-growing population, these fish pose a major ecological threat to waterways stretching from Maryland to the Delaware River.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture has encouraged residents to help control the species by eating it — a conservation strategy summed up by the phrase, "If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em." Rex at the Royal sources its blue catfish from Samuels Seafood, a supplier working with state agencies to reduce the species' numbers while supporting local fishermen.
Brown's modern version of the historic dish pairs tender, golden-fried catfish with cornbread waffles, trout roe, and sage syrup — a nod to Philly's past that also points toward a more sustainable future. By transforming an ecological problem into a community-driven dining experience, Rex at the Royal proves that good taste and good stewardship can go hand in hand.
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This creative culinary solution shows how chefs can play a role in environmental stewardship — one plate at a time. "Fashion is evolutionary; so is food," Brown told Philly Mag. "What was good in the 1800s is good now."
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