Dr. Kathy Starr told those in attendance at Catfish Row Museum’s second installment of the Summer Chef Series Saturday in downtown Vicksburg that cooking doesn’t just come from a cookbook. It comes from the soul.

And the soul behind the recipes Starr shared comes from generations of her own family. Pacing the isles of the museum’s demonstration kitchen, she explained not just the method behind her family’s food, but the stories, experiences and emotions that combined to make them unique Southern dishes.

Starr said many of her culinary experiences came from being raised in Hollandale, Mississippi by her grandmother Frances Fleming Hunter, affectionately known by most as Miz Bob.

“She was exceptional,” Starr said. “Because of her teaching, I know at least 2,000 different sayings that she would say. I’ve been asked to write them down, and someday I probably will.”

Starr said it was the teachings of Miz Bob – known to her has mom – that inspired her culinary books, the latest of which will hold more than 327 recipes when published.

“It will teach you how to convert your recipes to dietary meal plans,” she said.

And while Starr passed down some specific culinary wisdom, such as how to cook meats without the use of salt and pepper, she said the attitude and perspective involved in cooking may be just as important.

“One thing about Southern cooking: It’s more than just a cookbook; it’s a soul,” Starr said.

And for those who missed Starr’s Saturday demonstration, more chances for unique culinary experiences remain on the horizon at Catfish Row Museum.

Next up for the museum’s Summer Chef Series are Malcolm White and LeAnne Gault, who will lead an event July 12. Chef Enrika Williams will bring her signature style for “Bohemian Bites and Southern Roots” July 26, while Chef Taylor Bowen-Ricketts closes out the season with “Southern Fresh: Tradition with a Twist” on Aug. 9.