Which chef known for Cajun-inspired cooking used the catchphrase "I gar-on-tee"?

The chef known for Cajun-inspired cooking and the catchphrase “I gar-on-tee” was Justin Wilson.

Justin Elmer Wilson was a Louisiana humorist, storyteller, cookbook author, and television cooking personality. Born in Roseland in 1914, he first became known for Cajun-themed humor before building a national audience through cooking programs, including Louisiana Cookin’. His performances mixed recipes with jokes, poetry, music, and stories told in a deliberately colorful Louisiana style.

“I gar-on-tee!” was Wilson’s signature pronunciation of “I guarantee.” The phrase became inseparable from his on-screen persona and helped make him one of the most recognizable popularizers of Louisiana cooking outside the region. He published multiple Cajun cookbooks and hosted programs distributed through public television.

The other names are notable Louisiana or Southern chefs, but they are not the canonical owners of this catchphrase. Paul Prudhomme helped popularize modern Cajun cuisine, while John Folse and Emeril Lagasse became prominent culinary figures in their own right.