Paul Prudhomme's Mardi Gras Menu

(CBS)  Paul Prudhomme is a culinary legend in New Orleans and one of America's most famous chefs. After Hurricane Katrina hit his city, it took him just days to swing into action, feeding volunteers and residents from a makeshift trailer.

In October, he reopened his famous restaurant, K-Paul's, and with Mardi Gras festivities in full swing, he joined The Early Show's Dave Price and described the new realities of New Orleans. And, like many others, he described a city with two very different experiences.

"The downtown area is absolutely normal. People just walking around, doing the things they've done in the French Quarter for a long time, taking their clothes off, having a good time," Prudhomme said. "But the idea is that the rest of the city is just devastated. It's pretty much the way it was six months ago. So, we're struggling through that. We're trying to understand it, make something of it. We're working just every day to rebuild our city and to bring our people back."

Many think of Prudhomme's cooking style as the very epitome of New Orleans cuisine and he demonstrated some of that signature flair with a dish he calls Carnival chicken. Tossing vegetables, seasoning, chicken and plenty of butter in a sizzling hot pan, Prudhomme presented a mouth-watering meal, which takes only a matter of minutes, start to finish.

"It's a combination of sweet and bitter," he said. "As long as it's not too sweet, as long as it's not too bitter, they absolutely love those flavors, those tastes."

To watch Prudhomme demonstrate Carnival Chicken on The Early Show, click here.

To check out his famous K-Paul's restaurant, click here.