Emeril Lagasse facts for kids
Lagasse in 2006
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| Born | Emeril John Lagassé III October 15, 1959 Fall River, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Cooking style | Cajun, Portuguese, Creole, and French |
| Education | Diman Regional Voc Tech High School, and Johnson & Wales University |
| Spouse |
Elizabeth Kief
(m. 1978; div. 1986)Tari Hohn
(m. 1989; div. 1996)Alden Lovelace
(m. 2000) |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
The Emeril Lagasse Show, Emeril Live, Essence of Emeril, Emeril Green, Emeril's Florida, On the Table, Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Forever Pans, Emeril's Must Have Non Stick Pans, Emeril's Homemade Pasta Secret, Emeril's Chicken Frying Secret, BAM!
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Emeril Lagasse (born October 15, 1959) is a famous American chef, restaurateur (someone who owns restaurants), and TV personality. He is also a cookbook author. He is well-known for his amazing skills in Creole and Cajun cuisine. He even created his own cooking style called "New New Orleans."
Emeril is famous for his fun personality on TV. He has appeared on many cooking shows, like Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril. You might know his popular catchphrases, "Kick it up a notch!" and "Bam!"
Contents
Early Life and Cooking Journey
Emeril John Lagasse III was born on October 15, 1959, in Fall River, Massachusetts. His father was from Quebec, Canada, and his mother was from Portugal.
As a teenager, Emeril worked in a Portuguese bakery. This is where he discovered his love and talent for cooking. He then decided to study culinary arts at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School. He was also a talented drummer and even got a scholarship for music. But he chose to go to Johnson & Wales University to become a chef instead. He graduated from Johnson & Wales in 1978.
Emeril's Career in Cooking
After graduating in 1978, Emeril became the main chef at Dunfey's Hyannis Resort in Massachusetts. In 1982, he took over as the main chef at Commander's Palace in New Orleans. This was a very famous restaurant. He worked there for over seven years.
In 1990, Emeril opened his very own restaurant in New Orleans called Emeril's. It was quickly named "Restaurant of the Year" by Esquire magazine. Many of his restaurants and his main office are still in New Orleans.
In 2006, Emeril even helped NASA! He created several spicy recipes for the International Space Station. The spicier food was meant to help astronauts taste flavors better in space.
Today, Emeril's company, The Emeril Group, runs several restaurants. In 2022, he became the Chief Culinary Officer for Carnival Cruise Lines. This means he helps create the menus for their cruise ships.
Emeril on TV and in Movies
Emeril Lagasse is a familiar face on television.
Cooking Shows
He first appeared on TV in the show Great Chefs. From 1993 to 1995, he hosted How to Boil Water on Food Network. Later, he got his own show, Essence of Emeril. The "Essence" in the title refers to his special spice blend, which he often used in his cooking. He encouraged viewers to create their own spice mixes too!
In 1997, Emeril Live started. This show became very popular and even won an award for "Best Informational Show." On Emeril Live, Emeril became known for his fun and energetic style. His famous "Bam!" catchphrase started as a way to keep his film crew awake during long taping days. Other phrases like "Kick it up a notch!" and "Aw, yeah, babe" also became popular.
Emeril also hosted Emeril Green on Discovery Channel's Planet Green. This show focused on cooking with fresh, local, and organic ingredients. He also hosted The Emeril Lagasse Show and Emeril's Table. From 2013 to 2017, he hosted Emeril's Florida, which explored food across Florida. More recently, he has hosted Emeril Cooks and Emeril Tailgates on The Roku Channel.
Culinary Travel Shows
Emeril hosts Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse on Amazon Prime Video. This show started in 2016. In 2017, it won a Daytime Emmy Award for being an outstanding cooking program. On this show, Emeril travels the world with other famous chefs. They explore different cultures and try local foods.
Cooking Competition Shows
Emeril has also been a judge on cooking competition shows. In 2009, he joined Bravo's Top Chef as a judge. He also appeared on Iron Chef America in a cooking battle. In 2014, he was the "Menu Master" on the show On the Menu.
Acting Roles
Emeril has even appeared in movies and TV shows as an actor.
- In 2001, he starred in a TV sitcom called Emeril, playing a made-up version of himself.
- He provided the voice for Marlon the Gator in the 2009 Disney movie The Princess and the Frog.
- He appeared as himself in the 2006 film Last Holiday, starring Queen Latifah.
- In 2012, he appeared as himself in an episode of the HBO drama series Treme.
Helping Others: Philanthropy
In 2002, Emeril started the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. This foundation helps non-profit groups and educational programs. It aims to create opportunities for children, especially those who are not as lucky.
The foundation has given millions of dollars to children's charities. Some projects they have supported include:
- Outdoor classrooms and gardens at schools.
- Teaching kitchens for students.
- Culinary arts programs for high school students.
- Hospitality training for young people who need help.
Each year, the foundation holds a big fundraiser called Carnivale du Vin. It is one of the top charity wine auctions in the U.S. In 2013, Emeril was honored as the Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.
Emeril's Cooking Style
Emeril's cooking style is called "New New Orleans." He uses fresh ingredients from Louisiana. He mixes traditional Creole cooking with influences from Asian, Portuguese, and Southwestern cultures. This creates unique and delicious dishes. However, not all of his restaurants serve the same style of food. For example, Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas is a classic steakhouse with a Creole twist. Emeril's Coastal Italian serves Italian-inspired dishes with lots of seafood.
Emeril's Products
Emeril has many products that carry his name. In 2000, he partnered with B&G Foods to create a line of grocery products called "Emeril's." This line includes pasta sauces, marinades, salsas, and his famous "Essence" spice blend. He also has lines of kitchen knives, cookware, and kitchen appliances.
In 2008, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia bought the rights to many of Emeril's products, including his cookbooks and TV shows. However, Emeril still owns his restaurants and corporate offices.
Emeril's Cookbooks
Emeril Lagasse has written many cookbooks over the years. Here are some of them:
- 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)
Emeril's Restaurants
Emeril Lagasse owns or is the chef at several restaurants:
- New Orleans: Emeril's New Orleans, NOLA Restaurant, Emeril's Delmonico, Meril, Emeril's Table, 34
- Las Vegas: Emeril's New Orleans Fish House at MGM Grand, Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian
- Miramar Beach, Florida: Emeril's Coastal Italian
- Carnival Cruise Lines: Emeril's Bistro 1396 aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras, Emeril's Bistro 1397 aboard the Carnival Celebration, and Emeril's Bistro 717 aboard the Carnival Jubilee.
Awards and Honors
Emeril Lagasse has received many awards for his work:
- Two-time James Beard Foundation 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, 2005
- Gaming Hall of Fame, 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 for Outstanding Culinary Program, Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse, 2017
