Emeril John Lagassé III ( ; born October 15, 1959)
is an American
celebrity chef
A celebrity chef is a kitchen chef who has become a celebrity. Today, chefs often become celebrities by presenting cookery advice and demonstrations, usually through the media of television and radio, or in printed publications. While television ...
,
restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspec ...
, television personality, cookbook author, and National Best Recipe award winner for his "Turkey and Hot Sausage Chili" recipe in 2003. He is a regional
James Beard Award
The James Beard Foundation Awards are annual awards presented by the James Beard Foundation to recognize chefs, restaurateurs, authors and journalists in the United States. They are scheduled around James Beard's May 5 birthday. The media award ...
winner, known for his mastery of
Creole and
Cajun cuisine
Cajun cuisine (french: cuisine cadienne , es, cocina acadiense) is a style of cooking developed by the Cajun–Acadians who were deported from Acadia to Louisiana during the 18th century and who incorporated West African, French and Spanish co ...
and his self-developed "New New Orleans" style. He is of
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
descent on his mother’s side, while being of
French heritage through his father.
He has appeared on a wide variety of cooking TV shows, including the long running
Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ...
shows ''
Emeril Live
''Emeril Live'' is a television program that aired on Food Network from October 6, 1997, to December 11, 2007, and then on Fine Living (now The Cooking Channel) from July 7, 2008, to December 14, 2010. Hosted by Emeril Lagasse, ''Emeril Live'' f ...
'' and ''
Essence of Emeril
''Essence of Emeril'' (1994–96, 2000–2007) is a Food Network show hosted by chef Emeril Lagasse.
In each episode, Emeril shares with his viewers some of his 'kicked-up' recipes, similar to those on '' Emeril Live'', but with a far calmer ...
'', and is associated with several
catchphrase
A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
s, including "Kick it up a notch!" and "Bam!"
Lagasse's portfolio of media, products, and restaurants generates an estimated US$150 million annually in revenue.
Early life
Emeril John Lagasse III was born on October 15, 1959, in
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state.
Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...
, to a
French-Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fr ...
family from
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
. His parents are Emeril John Lagassé, Jr. and a
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
mother, Hilda Medeiros. Lagasse worked in a Portuguese bakery as a teenager where he discovered his talent for cooking and subsequently enrolled in a culinary arts program at
Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.
His talents as a percussionist earned him a scholarship to the
New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music Music school, conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The ...
, but he chose instead to attend
Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University (JWU) is a private university with its main campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded as a business school in 1914 by Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales, JWU enrolled 7,357 students across its campuses in the fa ...
in hopes of becoming a chef. He attended Johnson & Wales in 1978. Many years later, the school awarded him an
honorary doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...
.
Career
Lagasse graduated from the culinary school JWU in 1978 and became
Executive Chef
A chef de cuisine (, French for ''head of kitchen'') or head chef is a chef that leads and manages the kitchen and chefs of a restaurant or hotel. A chef patron (feminine form ''chef patronne'') (French for ''boss chef'') or executive chef is ...
at the Dunfey's Hyannis Resort in 1979.
He was nominated as Chef of the Year in 1983.
In 1982 Lagasse succeeded
Paul Prudhomme
Paul Prudhomme (July 13, 1940 – October 8, 2015), also known as Gene Autry Prudhomme, was an American celebrity chef whose specialties were Creole and Cajun cuisines, which he was also credited with popularizing. He was the chef propriet ...
as executive chef of
Commander's Palace
Commander's Palace is a Louisiana Creole restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana.
History
Commander's Palace was established in 1893 in the Garden District of Uptown New Orleans at 1403 Washington Ave.
Emile Commander established a small saloon ...
in
under
Richard Brennan, Sr. He led the kitchen there for seven and a half years before leaving to open his own restaurant.
In 1990 he opened Emeril's in New Orleans. It was designated "Restaurant of the Year" in ''
Esquire
Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title.
In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' magazine that year and has been a recipient of the ''
Wine Spectator
''Wine Spectator'' is an American lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture, and gives out ratings to certain types of wine. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertain ...
'' Grand Award since 1999. Many of his restaurants, as well as his corporate office, Emeril's Homebase, are located in New Orleans.
In August 2006 Lagasse contributed several recipes to the meal selection aboard the
International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA ...
, as part of a general
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
effort to improve the quality of the food supply for astronauts. Lagasse's cuisine in particular was selected in the hopes that the spicier fare would offset the reported tendency of microgravity to deaden flavors.
Lagasse is the executive chef and proprietor of eleven restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Orlando.
Television and film appearances
Cooking shows
Lagasse first appeared on television on the show ''
Great Chefs
Great Chefs is a franchise of 656 televised cooking shows ( +13 cookbooks), that
began with thirteen half-hour programs produced for PBS nationally, entitled "Great
Chefs of New Orleans" by John Beyer and John Shoup in New Orleans. Later PBS se ...
'' where he was featured on ten episodes, including Great Chefs, the Louisiana New Garde, New Orleans Jazz Brunch and Great Chefs — Great Cities. From 1993 to 1995 he was the original host of Food Network's ''
How to Boil Water
''How to Boil Water'' is an American television program. One of the first shows on the Food Network, it began broadcasting in 1993 and was first hosted by Hitu Desai. The focus of the show is simple cooking, as the show's title suggests, and is ...
''. After several appearances on several other Food Network programs, Lagasse hosted his own show, ''
Essence of Emeril
''Essence of Emeril'' (1994–96, 2000–2007) is a Food Network show hosted by chef Emeril Lagasse.
In each episode, Emeril shares with his viewers some of his 'kicked-up' recipes, similar to those on '' Emeril Live'', but with a far calmer ...
''. "Essence" in the title refers to Emeril's Essence, the name of a
spice
A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...
blend of his own concoction that he frequently uses in his cooking, and which is commercially available in several flavors. He also often suggested that viewers of his show create their own spice blends that reflect their personal tastes and be unafraid to use them to customize the dishes he would teach.
In early 1997 ''
Emeril Live
''Emeril Live'' is a television program that aired on Food Network from October 6, 1997, to December 11, 2007, and then on Fine Living (now The Cooking Channel) from July 7, 2008, to December 14, 2010. Hosted by Emeril Lagasse, ''Emeril Live'' f ...
'' began production. Later that year, the show won a Cable Ace Award for "Best Informational Show" of 1997.
Lagasse was one of sixteen chefs featured in the 1993
Julia Child
Julia Carolyn Child (née McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American cooking teacher, author, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, '' ...
series ''Cooking with Master Chefs''.
He also appeared on
Shop at Home Network
The Shop at Home Network (more commonly known as just Shop at Home, Shop at Home TV, SATH) was a television network in the United States. Before its acquisition by Jewelry Television in 2006, Shop at Home (SATH NASDAQ) was a public company which s ...
(which, like
Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ...
, was owned by
Scripps Networks
Katz Broadcasting, LLC, doing business as Scripps Networks, is an American specialized digital multicasting network media company and a subsidiary of E. W. Scripps Company. The company owns (as of 2022) nine television networks that each carry ...
), on the ''From Emeril's Kitchen'' from 2005 to 2006. The program was discontinued after Scripps liquidated Shop at Home's assets to
Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television is an American television network specializing in the sale of jewelry for both men and women. On-air and online, the network is mainly branded by its jtv initials in lower-case letters. It has an estimated reach of more than ...
in June 2006.
On television, Lagasse is known for his light and jovial hosting style as well as several catchphrases, including "Bam!". Emeril's signature catchphrase began simply as a means of keeping his studio crew awake, alert and focused. When Emeril first began at Food Network, he would tape seven shows a day, from seven in the morning until two in the afternoon. The interjection soon proved a hit with viewers. "Kick it up a notch", "Aw, yeah, babe" and "Feel the love", are usually said before or after adding something spicy to a dish, or after the reaction to adding something. When frying or making dishes like sausage, Lagasse advocated using genuine lard, boasting, "Pork fat rules!" This style developed fully, and Lagasse became more comfortable when a live studio audience was added in the change from ''Essence of Emeril'' to ''Emeril Live''.
Lagasse hosted a daily series, ''Emeril Green'', which aired on
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Channe ...
's eco-lifestyle network
Planet Green
Destination America is an American cable television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. The network carries programming focused on the culture of the United States—including food, lifestyles, a ...
. The show focused on cooking with organic, locally grown and seasonal produce, and was filmed on location at
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market IP, Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon, is an upscale American multinational supermarket chain headquartered in Austin, Texas, which sells products free from hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. A US ...
s across the United States.
From April to July 2010, Lagasse hosted the weekly variety program ''
The Emeril Lagasse Show
''The Emeril Lagasse Show'' is a weekly talk show starring Emeril Lagasse. It aired on Sundays at 5:00PM Eastern on Ion Television. The program originally premiered on April 18, 2010, airing at 8:00PM.
The announcement of the show was made by ...
'', which aired on Sundays on
Ion Television
Ion Television is an American broadcast television network owned by the Katz Broadcasting subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company. The network first began broadcasting on August 31, 1998, as Pax TV, focusing primarily on family-oriented enter ...
.
In September 2011 he hosted the
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies and ...
show, ''Emeril's Table''. It was cancelled after one season. In 2013, Lagasse began hosting the
Cooking Channel
Cooking Channel is an American basic cable channel owned by Food Network, a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (69%) and Nexstar Media Group (31%). The channel is a spin-off of Food Network, broadcasting p ...
show ''Emeril's Florida''. The show aired for five seasons, from 2013 to 2017.
Culinary travel show
Emeril now hosts ''Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse'' on
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
produced by
Ugly Brother Studios
Ugly Brother Studios is an American television production company focusing on unscripted, docs-series and specials. The company is based in Los Angeles and was founded by brothers Mike and Tim Duffy in 2014. . Its first season was released for streaming on September 9, 2016. In 2017 the show won a
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for
Outstanding Culinary Program[Amazon's “Eat the World” among Daytime Emmy winners]
from ''Realscreen''. Retrieved 2017-05-03. as well as for Single-Camera Editing
[Amazon & Netflix Lead Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Winners- Full List]
''Deadline''. Retrieved 2017-05-04. The television show features Emeril and internationally known chefs such as
Angela Dimayuga,
Danny Bowien
James Daniel Bowien (born 1982) is a chef and restaurateur. He is the founder and owner of Mission Chinese Food in New York City and Brooklyn and co-founder of Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco, California. Bowien is a James Beard Award winne ...
,
Mario Batali
Mario Francesco Batali (born September 19, 1960) is an American chef, writer, and restaurateur. Batali co-owned restaurants in New York City; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; and Newport Beach, California; Boston; Singapore; Westport, Connecticut; and Ne ...
, Aarón Sánchez,
José Andrés
José Ramón Andrés Puerta (born 13 July 1969) is a Spanish chef, and founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters. A Spanish-born and raised cook, he is often credited with br ...
and others, traveling the world and trying local favorites.
Cooking competition shows
In 2009 Lagasse joined Bravo's ''
Top Chef
''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition television series which premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006. The show features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges. The contestants are judged by a panel of professional chef ...
'' as a judge. He also was a guest judge during season 9 of ''Top Chef: Texas'' in 2011 and joined the judges' table for seasons 10 and 11 in Seattle and New Orleans, respectively. During season 11 of ''Top Chef: New Orleans'', Emeril's Restaurant was the featured location and the episode's winning dish was featured on the menu at the restaurant.
Lagasse teamed with fellow Food Network personality
Mario Batali
Mario Francesco Batali (born September 19, 1960) is an American chef, writer, and restaurateur. Batali co-owned restaurants in New York City; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; and Newport Beach, California; Boston; Singapore; Westport, Connecticut; and Ne ...
in a tag battle against
Bobby Flay
Robert William Flay (born December 10, 1964), is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and reality television personality. Flay is the owner and executive chef of several restaurants and franchises, including Bobby's Burger Palace, Bobby's ...
and
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
executive chef
Cristeta Comerford
Cristeta Pasia Comerford (born October 27, 1962) is a Filipino-American chef who has been the White House executive chef since 2005. She is the first woman and first person of Asian origin to hold the post.
Early life
Cristeta Comerford was born ...
on an episode of ''
Iron Chef America
''Iron Chef America'' is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's ''Iron Chef'', and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed ''Iron Chef USA'' that aired in 2001. The show is produced by Food Network, whi ...
'' which aired on January 2, 2010.
Lagasse served as the "Menu Master" of the TNT cooking competition show ''
On the Menu
On the Menu was an American Reality television#Reality competition/game shows, reality competition series on TNT (American TV network), TNT. It was the first cooking show that gave viewers the chance to taste the winning dish. In each episode, fou ...
'', which ran for one season in 2014. The show was hosted by
Ty Pennington
Tygert Burton "Ty" Pennington (born Gary Tygert Burton) is an American television host, artist, carpenter, author, and former model and actor.
His rise to prominence began with his role as carpenter on the TLC home improvement reality show ''Tr ...
.
Acting
In 1996, Lagasse was a guest on the animated show ''
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American adult animation, adult animated comedy talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. In contrast t ...
'', where he and other chefs, including
Martin Yan
Martin Yan (; born 22 December 1948) is a Hong Kong chef and food writer. He has hosted his award-winning PBS-TV cooking show ''Yan Can Cook'' since 1982.
Early years and education
With ancestral roots in Taishan, Yan was born in Guangzhou, ...
, prepare meals for
Space Ghost
Space Ghost (Tad Ghostal) is a fictional superhero created by Hanna-Barbera Productions in the 1960s for TV network CBS. He was designed by Alex Toth.
In his original incarnation, he was a superhero who, with his teen sidekicks, Jan and Jace, ...
.
Lagasse briefly starred on ''
Emeril
Emeril John Lagassé III ( ; born October 15, 1959) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, cookbook author, and National Best Recipe award winner for his "Turkey and Hot Sausage Chili" recipe in 2003. He is a regio ...
'', a TV sitcom on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
during the 2001 fall season with
Robert Urich
Robert Michael Urich (December 19, 1946 – April 16, 2002) was an American film, television, and stage actor, and television producer. Over the course of his 30-year career, he starred in a record 15 television series.
Urich began his ca ...
, in which he played a fictionalized version of himself. It was canceled after eleven episodes.
He provides the voice of hot-tempered alligator named Marlon the Gator in the 2009 New Orleans-set
Disney film ''
The Princess and the Frog
''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American Animation, animated musical film, musical fantasy film, fantasy romantic comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The List of Walt Disney Anima ...
''.
In 2006, Lagasse appears as himself in the film ''
Last Holiday'', starring
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
. He is featured as the cooking inspiration to her character and appears in the final scene.
In 2012, Lagasse appeared as himself on an episode of the HBO drama series ''
Treme''. Lagasse's scene was written by fellow chef (and ''Treme'' writer)
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Michael Bourdain (; June 25, 1956 – June 8, 2018) was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition. Bourdai ...
, who stated afterward that writing the scene was "a dream" for him because it showed a sadder, more burdened side of Lagasse, which existed in real life but was rarely shown in his television appearances.
Other
In 1998 he became a food correspondent for ABC's ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'', which he continues today.
Lagasse acted as Grand Marshal of the 2008
Tournament of Roses Parade
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
and presided over the nationally telecast coin-toss before the game wearing a business suit—a rarity for
Lagasse who is normally attired in chef's garb.
He made a guest appearance on ''
Jon & Kate Plus 8
''Jon & Kate Plus 8'', later known as ''Kate Plus 8'', is an American reality television series starring Kate Gosselin, Jon Gosselin, and their eight children, which ran from April 4, 2007 to July 24, 2017.
History
After the success of two on ...
'' during the show's 5th season to help celebrate its 100th episode in May 2009.
Lagasse has appeared on the
Home Shopping Network
HSN, an initialism of its former name Home Shopping Network, is an American free-to-air television network owned by the Qurate Retail Group, which also owns catalog company Cornerstone Brands. Based in the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, Flor ...
and
QVC
QVC (short for "Quality Value Convenience") is an American free-to-air television network, and flagship shopping channel specializing in televised home shopping, owned by Qurate Retail Group. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Chester, Pen ...
.
Philanthropy and activism
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, founded in 2002, supports non-profit organizations and educational initiatives that create opportunities for children, especially for those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential.
Emeril Lagasse Foundation has distributed more than $6 million in grants for children's charities. Projects funded by the Foundation include an outdoor classroom, gardens, fresh foods cafeteria and teaching kitchen at Edible Schoolyard New Orleans and the Orlando Junior Academy's Edible Schoolyard as well as a new culinary kitchen house, an accessible learning kitchen for
special needs
In clinical diagnostic and functional development, special needs (or additional needs) refers to individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. Guidelines for clinical diagnosis are given in ...
students at St. Michael Special School, a four-year culinary arts program for high school students at
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, or NOCCA, is the regional, pre-professional arts training center for high school students in Louisiana. NOCCA opened in 1973 as a professional arts training center for secondary school-age children. Locate ...
, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Hospitality Center at Café Reconcile, and hospitality training at Liberty's Kitchen for at-risk youth preparing healthy school meals. Each fall, the foundation hosts its signature annual fundraiser, Carnivale du Vin, which ranks among the Top Ten U.S. Charity Wine Auctions in ''
Wine Spectator
''Wine Spectator'' is an American lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture, and gives out ratings to certain types of wine. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertain ...
'' magazine. The Foundation introduced the charity indoor/outdoor food and music fest Boudin, Bourbon & Beer in 2011. In 2013 Lagasse was honored as James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year.
In 2010 Lagasse appeared in a commercial to raise awareness of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
The ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill (also referred to as the "BP oil spill") was an industrial disaster that began on 20 April 2010 off of the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect, considered ...
. Also starring in the commercial were
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Sandra Bullock, various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was ...
,
Peyton and
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
,
Jack Del Rio
Jack Louis Del Rio Jr. (born April 4, 1963) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a linebacker at the University of South ...
,
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...
,
James Carville
Chester James Carville Jr. (born October 25, 1944) is an American political consultant, author, and occasional actor who has strategized for candidates for public office in the United States and in at least 23 nations abroad. A Democrat, he is an ...
,
Blake Lively
Blake Ellender Lively ( Brown; born August 25, 1987) is an American actress. Born in Los Angeles, Lively is the daughter of actor Ernie Lively, and made her professional debut in his directorial project ''Sandman'' (1998). She starred as Brid ...
, and
John Goodman
John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the ABC comedy series '' Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he received a Golden Globe Award, an ...
.
Cuisine
Lagasse's style of cooking is called "New New Orleans", which uses local
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
ingredients in his own interpretation of Creole cuisine, strongly influenced by Asian, Portuguese, Southwestern, and other cultures which themselves influence New Orleans cuisine. However, the styles of cuisine at Lagasse's restaurants are not all the same. Delmonico Steakhouse at
The Venetian in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
is a classic steakhouse with a Creole flair, and Emeril's Coastal Italian serves seafood-heavy, Italian-inspired fare.
Merchandising and endorsements
Lagasse has a wide range of branded products. On June 8, 2000, he signed a deal with
B&G Foods
B&G Foods is an American branded foods holding company based in Parsippany, New Jersey. The company was formed in 1996 to acquire Bloch & Guggenheimer, a Manhattan-based producer of pickles, relish and condiments which had been founded in 1889.
...
to create a line of dry grocery products marketed under the label "Emeril's."
The product line includes pasta sauces, marinades, salsas, and Lagasse's signature "Essence" spice blend. In 2004 he lent his name to a line of fresh produce made by Pride of San Juan. These products, branded "Emeril's Gourmet Produce", include spring mix salad blends, fresh herbs, and heirloom tomatoes.
Lagasse also has two lines of kitchen knives produced by
Wüsthof
Wüsthof (also known as Wüsthof Dreizackwerk (German) and Wüsthof Trident (English); sometimes spelled ''Wusthof'' or ''Wuesthof'') is a knife-maker based in Solingen, Germany. Family owned for seven generations, the company's main products ar ...
and cookware made by
All-Clad
All-Clad Metalcrafters, LLC is a U.S. manufacturer of cookware with headquarters in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The company markets its cookware to department stores and specialty stores in the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the UK ...
, as well as a line of kitchen electrical appliances made by
T-Fal
Tefal S.A.S. (a portmanteau of TEFlon and ALuminium.) is a French cookware and small appliance manufacturer, owned by Groupe SEB (a global manufacturer of cookware) since 1968. The company is known for creating the non-stick cookware category ...
.
On February 19, 2008,
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (MSLO) is a diversified media and merchandising company founded by Martha Stewart and owned by Marquee Brands LLC since April 2019. It is organized into four business segments: publishing, Internet, broadcasti ...
announced it had acquired the rights to all Emeril products including cookware, cookbooks, television shows, and food products in a $50 million agreement. Lagasse retains rights to his restaurants and corporate offices.
Personal life
Lagasse met his first wife, Elizabeth Kief, while working at the Venus De Milo Restaurant in
Swansea, Massachusetts
Swansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts.
It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, south of Boston, and southeast of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 17,144 at the 2020 cens ...
to pay his way through school.
After Kief and Lagasse divorced, Lagasse married a second time to a fashion designer, Tari Hohn, but that too ended in divorce.
Lagasse was married a third time on May 13, 2000, to a real estate broker, Alden Lovelace.
He and Lovelace had two children. In 2011, Lagasse and his family moved to
Destin, Florida
Destin is a city located in Okaloosa County, Florida. It is a principal city of the Crestview–Fort Walton Beach–Destin, Florida, metropolitan area.
Located on Florida's Emerald Coast, Destin is known for its white beaches and emerald green ...
. His mother, Hilda Medeiros Lagasse died on August 24, 2016.
Cookbooks
Lagasse has written cookbooks including:
*''New New Orleans Cooking'' (1993)
*''Louisiana Real and Rustic'' (1996)
*''Emeril's Creole Christmas'' (1997)
*''Emeril's TV Dinners'' (1998)
*''Every Day's a Party'' (1999)
*''Prime Time Emeril'' (2001)
*''Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup!: Recipes for the Kid in Everyone'' (2002)
*''From Emeril's Kitchens: Favorite Recipes from Emeril's Restaurants'' (2003)
*''Emeril's There's a Chef in My Family!: Recipes to Get Everybody Cooking'' (2004)
*''Emeril's Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude'' (2004)
*''Emeril's Delmonico: A Restaurant with a Past'' (2005)
*''Emeril's There's a Chef in My World!: Recipes That Take You Places'' (2006)
*''Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast'' (2009)
*''Emeril at the Grill: A Cookbook for All Seasons'' (2009)
*''Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh'' (2010)
*''Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders'' (2011)
*''Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches: Stacked with Flavor'' (2012)
*''Emeril's Cooking with Power: 100 Delicious Recipes Starring Your Slow Cooker, Multi Cooker, Pressure Cooker, and Deep Fryer'' (2013)
*''Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen'' (2015)
Restaurants
Lagasse is the chef or proprietor of the following restaurants:
*
: Emeril's New Orleans, NOLA Restaurant, Emeril's Delmonico, Meril, Emeril's Table
*
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
: Emeril's New Orleans Fish House at
MGM Grand, Delmonico Steakhouse at
The Venetian
*
Miramar Beach, Florida
Miramar Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Walton County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2010 census. Although many other coastal localities in Florida have appended "Beach" to their names to distinguish themselv ...
: Emeril's Coastal Italian
Former restaurants of his include:
*Orlando: Emeril's Tchoup Chop (2003-2017)
*Las Vegas: Table 10 (2007-2017)
*Emeril's Orlando (1999-2018)
*Lagasse's Stadium (2009-2020)
*Gulfport, MS: Emeril's Gulf Coast Fish House (2007-2010)
*
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Northampton and Lehigh Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bethlehem had a total population of 75,781. Of this, 55,639 were in Northampton County and 19, ...
: Emeril's Chop House, BAM (Burgers and More by Emeril), and Emeril's Fish House, all at the
Wind Creek Casino
Awards and honors
*Two-time
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York City-based national non-profit culinary arts organization named in honor of James Beard, a prolific food writer, teacher, and cookbook author, who was also known as the "Dean of American Cookery." The prog ...
Award winner:
**Best Southeast Regional Chef, 1991
**Humanitarian of the Year, 2013
*Chef of the Year, ''GQ'' magazine, 1998
*Most Intriguing People of the Year, ''People'' magazine, 1998
*Executive of the Year, Restaurants & Institutions magazine, 2004
*Distinguished Service Award, ''
Wine Spectator
''Wine Spectator'' is an American lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture, and gives out ratings to certain types of wine. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertain ...
'', 2005
*
Gaming Hall of Fame
The Gaming Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to recognize individuals who have played a significant role in the gaming-entertainment industry.
The Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Gala is an annual event organized by the American Gaming Associatio ...
, inducted 2008
*Lifetime Achievement Award, The Food Network, 2009
*Taste Hall of Fame, Taste Awards, 2013
*Lifetime Achievement Award, Taste Awards, 2014
*
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for
Outstanding Culinary Program, ''Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse'', 2017
In popular culture
*
Futurama
''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
parodies Emeril Lagasse with the recurring character Elzar, a four-armed alien celebrity chef with the catchphrase, "Knock it up a notch"
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lagasse, Emeril
1959 births
Living people
People from Fall River, Massachusetts
American people of French-Canadian descent
American people of Portuguese descent
American restaurateurs
American television chefs
Businesspeople from Louisiana
American male chefs
Chocolatiers
Culture of New Orleans
Food Network chefs
Johnson & Wales University alumni
James Beard Foundation Award winners
Chefs from Louisiana
Chefs from New Orleans