Dorcas Lillian Bates Reilly (July 22, 1926 - October 15, 2018) was an American
chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a k ...
and
inventor
An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an id ...
. Reilly worked for several years in the
Campbell's
Campbell Soup Company, doing business as Campbell's, is an American processed food and snack company. The company is most closely associated with its flagship canned soup products; however, through mergers and acquisitions, it has grown to beco ...
Test Kitchen creating new recipes. She is best known for the creation of the
green bean casserole
Green bean casserole is an American baked dish consisting primarily of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and french fried onions.
It is a popular side dish for Thanksgiving dinners in the United States and has been described as ''iconic''. ...
. Reilly was called the "Grandmother of the Green Bean Bake."
Biography
Reilly was born Dorcas Lillian Bates in
Woodbury, New Jersey
Woodbury is the county seat of Gloucester County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the South Jersey region of the state. She grew up in
Glassboro
Glassboro is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the borough's population was 18,579, ...
and later in
Camden
Camden may refer to:
People
* Camden (surname), a surname of English origin
* Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer
* Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor
Places Australia
* Camden, New South Wales
* Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...
. Reilly attended Camden High School, along with her future husband, Thomas H. Reilly. Dorcas Reilly went on to
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Ar ...
where she earned a degree in
home economics
Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as texti ...
in 1947. She was one of the first members of her family to go to college.
Reilly started working at the
Campbell's
Campbell Soup Company, doing business as Campbell's, is an American processed food and snack company. The company is most closely associated with its flagship canned soup products; however, through mergers and acquisitions, it has grown to beco ...
Test Kitchen in 1949. She was one of the first full time employees in the department. and Reilly went on to become the supervisor in the home economics department. She also worked as a recipe developer. During her time at the test kitchen, she created hundreds of different recipes, including Campbell's tomato soup
meatloaf
Meatloaf is a dish of ground meat that has been combined with other ingredients and formed into the shape of a loaf, then baked or smoked. The final shape is either hand-formed on a baking tray, or pan-formed by cooking it in a loaf pan. It ...
Sloppy Joe
A sloppy joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef, onions, tomato sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun. There are several theories about the sandwich's origin.
History
Early and mid-20th ...
"souperburger." She is best known for her creation of the
green bean casserole
Green bean casserole is an American baked dish consisting primarily of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and french fried onions.
It is a popular side dish for Thanksgiving dinners in the United States and has been described as ''iconic''. ...
.
In 1959, she married Thomas H. Reilly. Dorcas Reilly left the Campbell's Test Kitchen briefly to raise her children in 1961. She returned later to work as the manager of the Test Kitchen. During her time back at Campell's she was cited by the ''
Courier-Post
The ''Courier-Post'' is a morning daily newspaper that serves South Jersey in the Delaware Valley. It is based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and serves most of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties. The paper has 30,313 daily paid subscr ...
'' as an expert in "cooking and entertaining." Reilly retired in 1988. In 2002, Reilly and Campbell's donated her recipe for green bean casserole to the
National Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) is an American not-for-profit organization, founded in 1973, which recognizes individual engineers and inventors who hold a U.S. patent of significant technology. Besides the Hall of Fame, it also oper ...