Naples is on the verge of transforming - for a few days - into the epicenter of the epicurean world.The chefs and vintners from around the world, who are used to shaking up palates, are arriving for the Naples Winter Wine Festival.Some are already here. Some land today and others will be fashionably late.Emeril Lagasse of the Food Network’s TV show “Emeril Live” hit Naples tonight, showing up in time to hold a book signing at Barnes & Noble Booksellers on U.S. 41 North.Hundreds and hundreds of people lined up for a chance to see the famous chef. There were retired couples, grandmas with grandchildren in tow, soccer moms with pint-size wannabe chefs at their side. Emeril greeted them all as if they were his longtime friends.“How you doing, guys,” Emeril said to Dakota Hemberger, 9, of Naples, who was dressed in miniature chef attire.Emeril took one of the five black markers out of the left pocket his chef jacket and wrote, “Chef Dakota, Bam,” on Dakota’s jacket.Dakota looked surprised and satisfied for a second before the two bodyguards, sheriff’s deputy, and a half dozen store personnel hustled Dakota and his sister Cheyenne, 11, to the exit area.Emeril signed book after book asking each buyer whose name he should make the salutation out for.The crowds were excited to see the man they have followed for years.”My knees are still shaking,” said one woman after he signed a cookbook for her.By Denise ZoldanWednesday, January 24, 2007© 2006 Naples Daily News and NDN Productions. Published in Naples, Florida, USA by the E.W. Scripps Co.

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