07 Sep 2025 A man of good taste
501 LIFE honors the life of Chef Donald J. Bingham
From my first introduction to Chef Don in June 2020, I recognized that he was one of those people whom you enjoy being around. He always entered a room with a smile and a friendly hello, and even in texts, his enthusiasm for life came through.
I think the secret sauce to Chef Don was that he wasn’t afraid to be personal and warm in a professional setting. Having worked as administrator of the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion from 1999 to 2007 and again from 2015 to 2018, he knew the guidelines of decorum and formality, yet, he would ask about my family by name. Plus, he was generous with leftovers after photoshoots!
He joined me on TV and social media interviews several times and was able to pop into an instructive, theatrical voice without skipping a beat. He carried the weight of the interview with his charisma and knowledge. Don had years of experience and was capable of wearing different hats seamlessly. I was in awe of that.
After more than a decade of submitting monthly columns and recipes, our readers will miss the “Entertaining by Chef Don Bingham” feature. And we all know his sweetheart, Nancy, because he frequently spoke of her in person and in his writing. Fortunately, his legacy lives on at 501lifemag.com, where all his features and recipes can be found.
– 501 LIFE Editor Stefanie Brazile
As honored as I am to take part in this tribute, I write with a heavy heart. I have experienced countless changes since becoming publisher of 501 LIFE Magazine, but one thing remained consistent: my friendship with Don Bingham. He welcomed us as new owners with open arms and never let us go. There has not been one month of producing this magazine I haven’t received a call or a text from Don saying how proud he was of our work. He would always say how much he appreciated being part of the issue, and he would invent awards that we should have won. Don would go on and on until I would pretend embarrassment. Mostly, he would make me feel better about myself and the work I was doing.
Since Don’s passing, this has been the conversation I have had with so many who knew him. You never visited with Don, spoke on the phone, got a text or an email that you didn’t feel better afterwards. Every interaction with him caused you to walk away with an extra skip in your step. 501 LIFE is the Good News Publication and Don Bingham was the Good News Guy!
I want our readers to know that he not only took pleasure in creating the recipes and dishes featured in 501, but he also worked extremely hard on them. He never failed to give each cake, pie and cornbread the perfect touch. I would tell him, “Don, our readers love you so much!” And readers, he loved you too. He was passionate about his Entertaining feature; he was passionate about everything he put into the world. He has become a big reason I try to do the same.
Out of all the creations that Don shared with us, there was nothing that he loved more than sharing the pages of 501 with his friends and family – especially his grandkids and great-grandchild. And, of course, Nancy.
As I finished this edition of 501 LIFE, the first without a Chef Bingham feature in many years, I looked back fondly at messages from him. Creating this publication will not be the same without Don around. For our 501 community, so much is forever changed without him. But there is no doubt about where he is now, and I can’t wait to hear him say “Jer–e–my!” — share his latest idea for a showstopper dessert and let me know he still thinks I’ve been doing a good job.
– 501 LIFE Publisher Jeremy Higginbotham
I always loved seeing Don come in the shop and visit about ideas of unique cakes, wedding cakes and petit fours. His requests were always one of a kind … things that you could not have dreamed up if you tried. For instance, a black frosted multi-tiered wedding cake with gold fish in bowls separating the cake layers. And that was when it wasn’t popular to use black icing on a wedding cake!
He started a tradition with his half-size petit fours with gaudy, over-the-top decor of mini roses and assorted flowers completely covering the treat. Then, pearl spray garnished the top along with disco dust glitter to add that special touch. (These were served after his memorial service on July 25 in the Burgess Auditorium at Central Baptist College.)
For many years, we only made them for Don, and no one else. Now we make them for a few of his friends.
He was always encouraging me to keep going and loved everything I made him. We traded bakers secrets — he shared with me the art of making chocolate curls, which I have not forgotten. And I shared with Don my way of making different styles of buttercream roses. It was the best day ever!! I was so nervous at first, and then I completely forgot about being nervous because I was sharing with a friend something I loved.
– Julie Goodnight of Julie’s Sweet Shoppe
It is one of life’s rare privileges to be guided by a true Renaissance man — and I had the honor of calling him my friend. I was just a wide-eyed 20-year-old when Chef Don welcomed me into his world. To be influenced by a man of his caliber, grace and wisdom at such a formative age was nothing short of transformative.
He took a group of unpolished kids and shaped us into professionals — not just with skill but with heart. Only Don could turn “snot-nosed brats” into chefs with character, humor and respect for the craft. He didn’t just teach us how to cook — he showed us how to carry ourselves, how to lead and how to live.
There are a few great men who’ve left a profound mark on my life: my grandfather, my father and Don Bingham. He saw something in me before I saw it in myself, and he nurtured it with patience and belief. I am who I am because of that investment.
Though the sorrow is deep, I find peace in knowing where he is now. And I hold tight to the promise that someday, we’ll be reunited — surrounded by those we’ve loved and lost. Rest well, Chef. Your influence lives on, not only in the kitchens you built but in the hearts you shaped.
– Chef Jason Knapp
I am not going to be sad. I am going to be glad that I had the honor of knowing Don Bingham. The man was truly the most talented chef, entertainer, musician, floral designer, role model, businessman, and a second father when I needed him in my formative years. If you had the honor to know this man, you know what a GREAT loss this is.
– Chef Clark Huff
Only weeks ago, I ran into Chef at Kroger. I couldn’t help but tear up as he walked up to me with a big smile and one of those famous hugs. He gave me words of comfort over (recently) losing my dad and told me how proud he was of me. A few smiles and a few laughs later, as I began to walk off, Chef turned around and so did I. He asked, “Tommy, what would your dad say about you grieving over him?”
With every bit of strength I had, I held my composure and looked at him and said, “The show must go on.” And in the perfect Don Bingham voice, he replied, “Then get on with the show.”
Our conversations were always brief but always SO powerful. It was an honor to have been able to spend time with Chef while he worked and to take in every little thing I could from his teaching in the kitchen and on a spiritual level as well. You will be deeply missed.
– Chef Tommy Bowman
Don was a close friend of my family for many years. We had a lot of gatherings, and most of them were centered around food, including cooking classes, helping out at his restaurant, progressive dinners in our neighborhood during the Christmas holidays, and just getting together to cook and eat wonderful food.
Don was an inventive, creative cook who could make the simplest of dishes into a masterpiece. I still use the recipes in his cookbook and his 501 LIFE columns when I want to make something out of the ordinary. He will be missed, not just by his family, but by those of us who called him friend.
– Judy Roach
When I think of Don Bingham, I have two thoughts immediately: his love of worship music and his love of cooking and baking. We in the 501 area have been so spoiled with so many opportunities to have a touch of Don in our daily lives through watching him on TV, visiting the Governor’s Mansion when he was executive chef, or viewing him monthly in 501 LIFE Magazine. I always loved seeing his 2-3 colorful pages, complete with a beautiful layout of table linens, centerpiece, and a little background on the published recipes. The first thing I think of is Don’s very famous chocolate cake. It was spectacular in size, taste and aroma. I always clipped his recipes over the years, with two favorites being Don’s bran muffins and Nancy’s granola.
I’m going to miss that big smile every time I would see him dashing into Dollar Tree for a last-minute Hallmark card or a party prop. Don was a Conway legend, dedicated family man, and longtime friend of more than 30 years.
– Susie Walker
My parents were the epitome of devotion to each other. Through everything that was thrown at them throughout their 58 years of marriage, they stood tall, firm and united.
— Jill Bingham
My dad lived each day with purpose, grace and an unwavering love for people. Being part of the 501 LIFE family was more than just a role for him — it was a calling. He cherished the opportunity to celebrate the stories, achievements and spirit of our community, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and connect us all.
– Daughter Jessica Bingham Faulkner
The driving force in Dad’s life was his faith. There are not enough adjectives to describe all the things he was to everyone who knew him, but for most of you, he was a mentor, encourager, prayer warrior, teacher and leader. I’d like to say he was a nutritionist, but if you’ve ever seen the amount of butter that went into a lot of his recipes … well.
Dad loved to ask, “Do you have your mise en place?” This is a French culinary term that means “everything in its place”. He’d say, “Sis, do you have your mise en place? We don’t need to take the time to go back and forth to the grocery store for more ingredients.”
Dad was one of my instructors when I was in chef school. I was a young mom, working a full-time job, trying to get my chef certification, and wanted to be low-key in class. Dad walked in the first day and asked, “What does mise en place mean?” The room fell silent. I was trying not to let anyone know my dad was the instructor, so I also remained silent. But he knew that I knew the answer. When I realized no one else was going to respond, I said, “It means everything in its place.” To me, that was one of those “atta-boy” moments, and I could tell my dad was proud.
Numerous times, Dad and I would demonstrate recipes for various groups. We would tag-team on recipes from jambalaya to prime rib, but the dish that is most asked for is his signature Chocolate Regal Cake with huge chocolate curls.
– Daughter and Chef Jill McCollum
Don Bingham’s Famous Chocolate Regal Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 stick margarine
1 cup water
½ cup shortening
3 Tbsp. cocoa
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift together flour, sugar and salt. In a saucepan, put margarine, water, shortening and cocoa. Bring to a boil and pour over flour mixture. Mix well. In another bowl, beat eggs. Add soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir well and add to the first mixture. Mix well. Bake in a greased and floured cookie sheet or in two or three cake pans at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool cake/s before icing. Garnish with
strawberries or cherries, if desired.
chocolate icing
1 stick margarine
3 Tbsp. cocoa
6 Tbsp. milk
½ tsp. vanilla
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Melt margarine, add cocoa, milk and vanilla. Bring to a boil,
add the box of powdered sugar and nuts.
Stir until smooth and pour over cake.
