Emeril Lagasse is a well-known American chef, restaurant, television personality, and cookbook author. He is an expert in Cajun and Creole food and well-known for his unique “New New Orleans” culinary style. Emeril is a well-known face on television when it comes to cooking shows, and he frequently appears on popular “Food Network” series. Early on, while working at a bakery, he developed a taste for cooking. Inspired by this interest, he enrolled in a culinary arts school. He started working as an executive chef after graduating, and he opened his restaurant a few years later. The “International Space Station” crew’s meal plan included several of his recipes as well. He currently owns twelve eateries in New Orleans, Bethlehem, Orlando, and Las Vegas. In addition to presiding over competitions and presenting cooking shows, he has a penchant for acting and has made a few cameos in drama series and other relevant shows. The celebrity chef has written nineteen cookbooks to far, with the most recent one coming out about three years ago.
Early Life & Childhood of Emeril Lagasse
On October 15, 1959, in Fall River, Massachusetts, Emeril John Lagasse, Jr. and Hilda Medeiros welcomed Emeril into the world. He has Portuguese ancestry from his mother’s side and French-Canadian background from his father.
His mother Hilda taught him the technique of food preparation at a young age, sparking his passion for cooking. He was soon observed honing his baking techniques at the Portuguese bakery where he had worked as a teenager.
After graduating from high school, Lagasse followed his interest and enrolled at the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in 1978. This led to offers of generous scholarships from venerable Boston, New York, and Philadelphia restaurants.
He traveled to Lyon and Paris, France, to expand his culinary horizons, where he learned the craft of traditional French cooking. In 1982, he became the Executive Chef at the exclusive “Commander’s Palace” and worked there for nearly eight years.
Career of Emeril Lagasse
Following his tenure at the Commander’s Palace, Emeril Lagasse opened his first eatery, “Emeril’s,” in 1990 in New Orleans. Two years later, he opened “NOLA,” another restaurant in the same city.
Inspired by his “New New Orleans” cooking technique, Lagasse opened “Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House” in Las Vegas in 1995.
In 1998, Lagasse opened a second restaurant called “Delmonico” in New Orleans’ famed Garden District. After a year, he expanded his restaurant network to include two more locations: one in Las Vegas and one at Universal Studios CityWalk.
With a partnership with B&G Foods, Lagasse entered the grocery product market on June 8, 2000, launching a variety of dry food products under the “Emeril’s” brand, including pasta sauces, salsas, and marinades.
“Another one of his fresh food companies, Emeril’s Gourmet Produce debuted in 2004 and features Pride of San Juan-only preparations of heirloom tomatoes, mix salad blends, and fresh herbs.
He continued to grow his restaurant empire by opening “Emeril’s Chop House” at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania on May 22, 2009, and “Lagasse’s Stadium,” a restaurant and sports entertainment area, a few months later.
His third restaurant, “Emeril’s Fish House,” debuted at Sands Bethlehem in 2016. He currently owns twelve restaurants around the country, the most recent of which just opened in Florida.
Honors & Accomplishments of Emeril Lagasse
His restaurants are a popular pick for foodies across America thanks to his dedication to learning the craft and his many accomplishments, including best ratings and critical acclaim.
The restaurant “Emeril’s” received its first of many honors in 1990 when John Mariani named it “Esquire Magazine’s Restaurant of the Year.”
He was named the “Best Southeast Regional Chef” by the James Beard Foundation in 1991.
Restaurants & Institutions magazine awarded him the “Executive of the Year” title in 2004 because of his dedication and culinary prowess.
In 2009, he received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the “Food Network’s” South Beach and Wine Festival in recognition of his achievements to the food business.
In 2013, the “James Beard Foundation” bestowed upon Lagasse the highly sought-after title of “Humanitarian of the Year,” in recognition of his contributions to the advancement of American culinary arts as well as his charity endeavors.
Recipe Books of Emeril Lagasse
He is the author of nineteen best-selling cookbooks. The most recent one was published in 2015 and is titled “Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen.”
“Emeril’s TV Dinners,” “New New Orleans Cooking,” and “Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My Soup!: Recipes for the Kid in Everyone” are a few of his other highly sought-after publications. “Emeril’s Potluck: Cozy Fare with a Boosted Spirit”
TV Shows of Emeril Lagasse
With more than two thousand appearances on “Food Network” shows, he is well-known in the television industry. He also serves as the culinary correspondent for “Good Morning America,” an ABC program.
Lagasse debuted as an actor in the 1996 animated parody talk program “Space Ghost Coast to Coast,” where he cooked meals for the imaginary character “Space Ghost.”
He became a judge on “Top Chef” in 2009 and made multiple guest judging appearances on the program.
In September 2016, Amazon released the documentary series “Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse,” in which Lagasse and other notable chefs traveled the world through food to learn about regional culinary customs and popular food movements.
Individual Life and Heritage
In 1978, Emeril Lagasse wed Elizabeth Kief for the first time. The pair had two children together and was married for eight years.
In 1989, he wed fashion designer Tari Hohn. They were married for seven years till getting divorced in 1996.
He wed real estate dealer Alden Lovelace on May 13, 2000. From this third marriage, he has two children: Meril Lovelace Lagasse, a daughter, and Emeril John Lagasse IV, a boy.
Charitable Works of Emeril Lagasse
His charity, the “Emeril Lagasse Foundation,” was founded in 2002 and aids youngsters from low-income families in reaching their academic goals. The “Emeril Lagasse Foundation” provides funding for children’s educational programs and has awarded almost $6 million for them thus far.
Facts of Emeril Lagasse
Emilil is a gifted drummer who turned down a full scholarship to study music in order to focus on his love of cooking.
Net worth of Emeril Lagasse
The estimated net worth of Emeril Lagasse is about $1 million.