Chef Emeril Lagasse Biography

Chef, Restaurateur, Television Personality and Author...

Chef Emeril Lagasse received his first culinary experience from his mother, Hilda, when he was a boy growing up in the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he worked at a Portuguese bakery where he mastered the art of bread and pastry baking. Upon high school graduation, Lagasse was offered a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music, but decided to pursue a career as a professional chef. He earned a degree from the respected culinary fortress, Johnson and Wales University, and later received an honorary Doctorate degree from the university.  Lagasse then traveled to Paris and Lyon where he polished his skills and learned the art of classic French cuisine. Returning to the United States, Lagasse practiced his art in fine restaurants in New York, Boston and Philadelphia before heading south to the Big Easy. Lured to New Orleans by Dick and Ella Brennan, Lagasse established his star at their legendary restaurant, Commander's Palace, where he was executive chef for seven and a half years.

Lagasse is now the chef-proprietor of thirteen restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami, Gulfport and Bethlehem.  In 1990, Chef Emeril opened Emeril’s Restaurant in the Warehouse District in downtown New Orleans.  Two years later, he opened NOLA Restaurant in the French Quarter.  In 1995, Emeril brought his “New New Orleans” cooking to Las Vegas and opened Emeril's New Orleans Fish House, located in the MGM Grand Hotel.  In 1998, Lagasse opened Emeril’s Delmonico in New Orleans’ historic Garden District.   He opened two restaurants in 1999 including Emeril’s Orlando at Universal Studios City Walk and Delmonico Steakhouse in the Venetian Resort/Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas.  In 2003, he opened Tchoup Chop (pronounced chop-chop) at Universal Orlando’s Royal Pacific Resort and Emeril’s Miami Beach at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.  In June 2007, Lagasse opened, Emeril’s Gulf Coast Fish House at the Island View Casino Resort in Gulfport, MS.  In February 2008, he opened Table 10 at The Palazzo in Las Vegas.  He opened his eleventh restaurant, Emeril’s Chop House on May 22 at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania and Lagasse’s Stadium, a sports restaurant and bar opened in September at The Palazzo. His latest project and first-ever burger restaurant, Burgers And More by Emeril, opened on November 22 at the Sands Bethlehem.

The recognition and awards he has garnered have made him known to food-loving Americans everywhere. His restaurants consistently win critical praise and top ratings. Emeril's Restaurant was dubbed "Restaurant of the Year" by John Mariani in Esquire magazine in 1990 and received the coveted Wine Spectator "Grand Award" in 1991. Also in 1991, Lagasse was named "Best Southeast Regional Chef" by the James Beard Foundation. Most recently, Emeril's Restaurant earned the prestigious Ivy Award. Nola has achieved the status of "Best New Restaurant" by Esquire magazine in 1993 and has been recognized nationally by Travel & Leisure and Southern Living magazines. His third restaurant, Emeril's New Orleans Fish House was named "Best Restaurant in Las Vegas" by Zagat. In 2002, Delmonico Steakhouse was named "Best Steakhouse" by Las Vegas Life magazine. In 2004, Delmonico Steakhouse received the Grand Award from Wine Spectator magazine.  Lagasse himself has also received accolades and awards for his culinary expertise. In 1991, Lagasse was named "Best Southeast Regional Chef" by the James Beard Foundation. In 1998 he was chosen as "Chef of the Year" by GQ magazine. In 1999, he was named one of People magazine's "25 Most Intriguing People of the Year."  In 2004, he was chosen as “Executive of the Year” by Restaurants & Institutions magazine.  In 2005, he received the “Distinguished Service Award” from Wine Spectator for his significant and long-lasting contributions to the wine industry.  In 2006, he was inducted into the MenuMasters Hall of Fame by Nation’s Restaurant News.  In 2007, he was named “Restaurateur of the Year” by New Orleans CityBusiness.  In 2009, he received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

As a national TV personality, he has hosted over 1500 shows on the Food Network, and is the food correspondent for ABC’s "Good Morning America.” He is the host of Emeril Green, an original series exploring fresh and seasonal ingredients, which is in its second season on Discovery’s Planet Green.  His show Essence of Emeril can be seen on Food Network, and Emeril Live appears on both Fine Living and Food Network. “The Emeril Lagasse Show,” a new weekly, primetime series will be recorded before a live studio audience and will capture Emeril's passion for people, entertainment, music, food and celebration. The hour long program will air on Sundays at 8pm beginning March 28th.

In addition to his television presence, Emeril has a new, live, call-in radio program, “Cooking with Emeril,” which airs twice weekly on Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS XM. He also has a new column in Everyday Food magazine where the chef and his six-year-old son, E.J., provide delicious family-friendly recipes. Emeril is the author of 14 bestselling books, including the recent Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast.

In September 2002, Emeril established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children’s education and non-profit organizations with culinary, nutrition, garden, arts and life skills programs. Projects funded by the Foundation include an outdoor classroom & garden and Edible Cafeteria & Teaching Kitchen at Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, a learning kitchen for special needs students at St. Michael Special School, a four-year culinary arts program for high school students at New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, and a culinary learning center for hospitality training for at-risk youth at Café Reconcile. As of November 2009, the Foundation has given over $3.2 million to children’s causes in New Orleans, Las Vegas and on the Gulf Coast. The Foundation’s primary annual fundraiser, Carnivale du Vin, has consistently ranked among the “Top Ten U.S. Charity Wine Auctions” in Wine Spectator magazine and has raised over $9 million for children’s charities since 2005. The sixth annual Carnivale du Vin will take place on November 13, 2010 in New Orleans.

Lagasse’s corporate office, Emeril’s Homebase, is located in New Orleans and houses restaurant operations, a culinary test kitchen for cookbook and recipe development, the emerils.com website, and a boutique store for his signature products. 

Emeril Lagasse joined the Martha Stewart family of brands in 2008; Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (NYSE: MSO) acquired the assets related to Emeril’s media and merchandising business, including television programming, cookbooks, and emerils.com website and his licensed kitchen and food products.