AP Photo/Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Cherly Gerber

Chef Emeril Lagasse Unveils Plans for the Second Floor Expansion at Café Reconcile

NEW ORLEANS, LA (November 2, 2007) – The Emeril Lagasse Foundation announced today plans for the construction of an innovative culinary learning center at Café Reconcile in New Orleans. Located in Central City, Café Reconcile is an eatery where at-risk youth gain social skills and hospitality experience by working in the business. The 2,700 square foot Emeril Lagasse Culinary Learning Center nearly doubles the amount of usable space and continues restoration of the 5-story historic structure. Read more »

Raise a toast to Bacchus and to Crescent City culinary king Emeril Lagasse during the celebrity chef’s third annual Carnivale du Vin fundraiser, which benefits local children’s groups. Named fourth among the nation’s Top 10 charity wine auctions by Wine Spectator, the event, emceed by Harry Shearer (The Simpsons), features such prestigious vintners as Schrader Cellars and Au Bon Climat Winery, along with culinary offerings by chefs Mario Batali (Babbo), Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin), and Rick Tramonto (Tru), among others, and entertainment by the Original Blues Brothers Band. Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel, 2 Poydras St., 212-2222.

PUBLICATION: WHERE NEW ORLEANS
DATE: 11-01-2007

NEW ORLEANS, LA (November 1, 2007) – Preparations are under way in New Orleans for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s 3rd Annual Carnivale du Vin which will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.

The sold out event will feature a four-course seated dinner with wine pairings, prepared by world’s top chefs Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Drew Nieporent, Eric Ripert, Aarón Sanchez, Nancy Silverton, and Rick Tramonto; joining leading vintners including Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, Suzie and Paul Frank of Gemstone Vineyard, Donald Patz and James Hall of Patz & Hall, Suzanne Pride Bryan of Pride Mountain Vineyards, and Carol and Fred Schrader of Schrader Cellars. The evening will conclude with a wine auction and gala, featuring one-of-a-kind art by Burton Morris, culinary, wine and lifestyle packages, with entertainment by jazz musician Jeremy Davenport and The Original Blues Brothers Band. Read more »

This Summer, ELF was proud collaborate and fund a 2-week intensive pilot program for 13 high school students. A guest instructor from Chef Emeril’s alma mater Johnson and Wales University taught the session.

New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) is seeking to add a four-year Culinary Arts program to its specialized arts curriculum. In the school’s over 30 year history, each time it has added a discipline, it started as a pilot program in the June Intensive session. Read more »

Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse says he’s more concerned than ever about Gulf Coast children and hopes the more than $500,000 in grants he’s committing for culinary education and summer camp programs will help to enrich lives tattered since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.”These kids are the future. They’re the future of New Orleans,” said Lagasse, after announcing the grants at one of his two New Orleans restaurants. Read more »

Total Granted Since January 2006 is Now Over $1 millionNEW ORLEANS, LA (May 9, 2007) – Chef Emeril Lagasse announced today over $500,000 in grants donated by his Foundation toward culinary education and children’s summer programs in the New Orleans area at a reception at Emeril’s Restaurant. With this round of grants, over $1 million has been awarded by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to New Orleans children’s organizations since January 2006.The programs receiving support will provide New Orleans youth with fun, safe and educational activities during summer break and allow for capital improvement of existing innovative projects. St. Michael Special School, a longtime beneficiary of Chef Emeril Lagasse, will receive funds to renovate its life skills academic lab and kitchen. The Edible Schoolyard at Green Charter School will be able to build an outdoor classroom to serve as the focal point of its edible garden. Read more »

New Orleans today is a volatile mix of anger and hope. The anger surges from the raw memories and broken promises that linger in the wake of hurricane Katrina. The hope blooms from events such as Carnivale du Vin, which raised more than $2.5 million to benefit the city’s children in a star-studded culinary event in October. ( Wine Spectator was among the event’s sponsors.)
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Gala and Auction Raises Record Amount for New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, LA (October 30, 2006) – Carnivale du Vin, a culinary event and fundraiser for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation raised over $2.5 million dollars to benefit children in the New Orleans area. The sold-out event began with a reception showcasing the chefs of all nine of Emeril’s restaurants, and special Carnivale du Vin bottling, created by honorary event “Bacchus” Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat. Afterwards, there was a five course seated dinner featuring food and wine pairings by the world’s top chefs Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and local pastry chef duo Tariq Hanna and Joel Dondis; with wines by some of the country’s most renowned vintners including Joseph Bastianich (Bastianich Vineyards), Grace and Ken Evenstad (Domaine Serene), Carol and Fred Schrader (Schrader Cellars), Jayson Woodbridge (Hundred Acre), and Suzie and Paul Frank (Gemstone Vineyards).
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Capital infusions : Last week, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation announced it was awarding $125,000 in “community impact” grants to help finance culinary education and summer camp programs.

Cafe Reconcile was among the grant recipients. The Central City cafe, which helps at-risk youth acquire skills in the restaurant business, received $25,000.

Also, the Willie Mae’s rebuilding project received $30,000 from the James Beard Foundation.

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Times-Picayune

Quick Bites
Friday, June 23, 2006
Brett Anderson
Restaurant writer

Brett Anderson writes about restaurants. He can be reached at banderson@timespicayune.com or at (504) 826-3353.

EMERIL LAGASSE FOUNDATION’S “CARNIVALE DU VIN” RAISES $1.4 MILLION TO BENEFIT CHILDREN IN NEW ORLEANS

Michael McDonald Performs New Orleans Tribute with Sammy Hagar and Emeril Lagasse

LAS VEGAS, NV (November 29, 2005) – Carnivale du Vin, a culinary event and fundraiser for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation raised $1.4 million dollars to benefit children in the New Orleans area whose lives were affected by Hurricane Katrina. The evening featured a musical performance by Michael McDonald who performed a song that he wrote as a special tribute to New Orleans, especially for the evening’s performance, for which he was joined on stage by Sammy Hagar on guitar and vocals and Emeril Lagasse on percussion. Musician Jimmy Buffett was also on hand to lend his support, while Andre Agassi auctioned off a private tennis lesson with himself and wife Stefi Graf during the evening’s live auction. Over 600 guests attended the inaugural event which took place on Saturday, October 29, 2005 at Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
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