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 and TV star. He owns many restaurants and has written several cookbooks. You might know him from his popular TV shows like Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril. He is famous for his fun catchphrases like "Bam!" and "Kick it up a notch!"
Emeril is known for his special cooking style called "New New Orleans." This style mixes traditional Creole and Cajun cuisine with new ideas. His family background includes Portuguese and French heritage.
Contents
Early Life and Culinary Journey
Emeril John Lagasse III was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, on October 15, 1959. His father was from Quebec, and his mother was from Portugal.
As a teenager, Emeril worked in a Portuguese bakery. This is where he found his passion for cooking. He then joined a cooking program at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.
He was also a talented musician and even got a scholarship for music. But he chose to go to Johnson & Wales University to become a chef instead. He graduated in 1978. Years later, the university gave him an honorary degree.
Emeril's Amazing Career
After graduating from culinary school in 1978, Emeril quickly became a top chef. By 1979, he was an executive chef at a resort.
In 1982, he took over as executive chef at Commander's Palace in New Orleans. This was a very famous restaurant. He worked there for over seven years.
Opening His Own Restaurants
In 1990, Emeril opened his first restaurant, "Emeril's," in New Orleans. It was named "Restaurant of the Year" by Esquire magazine that same year. Many of his restaurants and his main office are still in New Orleans.
Emeril's company, The Emeril Group, manages his restaurants and develops new recipes. As of 2023, he owns five restaurants. In 2022, he became the Chief Culinary Officer for Carnival Cruise Lines. This means he helps create the menus for their cruise ships!
Cooking for Astronauts
In 2006, Emeril even helped NASA improve food for astronauts on the International Space Station. His spicy recipes were chosen because food can taste bland in space due to microgravity.
Emeril on Television
Emeril Lagasse has been a big star on cooking TV shows for many years.
Popular Cooking Shows
He first appeared on shows like 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 uses often. He encouraged viewers to make their own spice mixes too.
In 1997, Emeril Live started. This show was very popular and even won an award for "Best Informational Show." Emeril's fun personality and catchphrases like "Bam!" and "Kick it up a notch!" became famous. He would say "Bam!" to keep his crew awake during long filming days.
He also hosted Emeril Green on Planet Green, which focused on cooking with fresh, local, and organic foods. From 2013 to 2017, he hosted Emeril's Florida, exploring food across Florida. More recently, he has hosted Emeril Cooks and Emeril Tailgates on The Roku Channel.
Travel and Competition Shows
Emeril hosts Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse on Amazon Prime Video. In this show, he travels the world with other famous chefs to try local foods. It won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2017 for being an outstanding culinary program.
He has also been a judge on Bravo's Top Chef and competed on Iron Chef America.
Acting Roles
Emeril has even acted! In 2001, he starred in a TV show called Emeril, playing a fictional version of himself. He also voiced a character named Marlon the Gator in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog (2009). You can also see him as himself in the movie Last Holiday (2006).
Giving Back: Philanthropy
Emeril Lagasse cares about helping others. In 2002, he started the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. This foundation helps non-profit groups and educational programs. It aims to give children, especially those who are disadvantaged, chances to reach their full potential.
The foundation has given millions of dollars to children's charities. Some projects include:
- Outdoor classrooms and gardens at schools.
- Teaching kitchens for students with special needs.
- Culinary arts programs for high school students.
- Hospitality training for young people.
Each year, the foundation hosts big fundraising events like Carnivale du Vin and Boudin, Bourbon & Beer. In 2013, Emeril was honored as the James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year for his charity work.
Emeril's Cooking Style
Emeril's cooking style is called "New New Orleans." It uses fresh ingredients from Louisiana and mixes them with his own ideas. His food is influenced by Asian, Portuguese, and Southwestern flavors, which are also part of New Orleans cooking.
However, not all of his restaurants serve the same type 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 Lagasse has many products that you can buy. In 2000, he partnered with B&G Foods to create a line of grocery products. These include pasta sauces, marinades, salsas, and his famous "Essence" spice blend.
He also has his own lines of kitchen knives, cookware, and kitchen appliances. In 2008, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia bought the rights to many of Emeril's products and TV shows. However, Emeril still owns his restaurants and company offices.
Emeril's Family Life
Emeril has been married three times and has four children. He met his first wife, Elizabeth Kief, while working in a restaurant. They had two children together.
He later married Alden Lovelace in 2000. They have two children. One of his children, E. J., is also involved in the cooking world. In 2011, Emeril and his family moved to Destin, Florida.
Cookbooks by Emeril
Emeril has written many cookbooks, sharing his delicious recipes. Some of his books include:
- 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
Here are some of the restaurants Emeril Lagasse owns or is the chef for:
- New Orleans: Emeril's New Orleans, NOLA Restaurant, Emeril's Delmonico, Meril, Emeril's Table
- 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 (on the Carnival Mardi Gras), Emeril's Bistro 1397 (on the Carnival Celebration), and Emeril's Bistro 717 (on the Carnival Jubilee).
Awards and Honors
Emeril Lagasse has won many awards for his cooking and 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
- 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
