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Premiere Wine Auction Generates Over $2 Million for the Children of the Gulf Coast Region

NEW ORLEANS, LA (November 9, 2007) – Carnivale du Vin, the premiere wine auction and fundraiser in New Orleans rated “Top 10” in the Nation by Wine Spectator magazine, raised over $2 million dollars for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, to benefit children’s education programs in the Gulf Coast region. To mark the occasion, Chef Emeril Lagasse welcomed an all-star cast of chefs and vintners to New Orleans for a weekend of incredible dining, music, art and wine.

Carnivale officially commenced as Fred and Carol Schrader of Schrader Cellars uncorked their Carnivale du Vin bottling, Vieux-Os Old Vine Zinfandel 2004, with Chef Emeril and his team of ten Chefs de Cuisine serving hors d’oeuvres during the “Bacchus” reception. Read more »

Gulfport, MS (November 20, 2006) — Island View Casino Resort officials announced today that Gulfport’s only casino has signed an agreement with world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse to open Emeril’s Gulf Coast Fish House at the Island View Casino and Resort in Gulfport.

Lagasse – an internationally recognized restaurateur, television personality and author – joined Island View Casino owner Rick Carter at a press conference this afternoon at the casino to unveil renderings of the 9,000 square-foot, 200-seat restaurant.

The restaurant, which will serve lunch and dinner, was designed by Friedmutter Group of Las Vegas and will be a sister restaurant to the award-winning Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House in Las Vegas. It is expected to open at Island View Casino Resort in summer 2007.

“When we opened Island View we made a commitment to the Gulf Coast community to operate a casino resort of the highest quality. By introducing an Emeril Lagasse-signature restaurant we know we are creating a resort that fulfills that promise, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House is a brand known for its standard of excellence created by a chef of unparalleled passion and talent and we are pleased to create this association with him,” says Rick Carter.

“I am very happy to partner with Rick and Terry and their team at Island View for this exciting project,” says Emeril Lagasse. “I receive offers everyday to build new restaurants all over the world, but I chose to open a restaurant on the Gulf Coast because it means a lot to me to be a part of the rebuilding of this community. My family and I have very close ties here - my wife Alden grew up in Gulfport and we have spent a lot of time with our family and friends here, as well as our involvement with the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.”

Today, Lagasse also announced a grant of $25,000 to be awarded to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. The grant will go towards performing arts outreach and educational programming
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About Island View Casino Resort
Island View Casino Resort opened on Sept. 18 as the only casino in Gulfport, Miss. The land-based casino, located on 40 acres of waterfront property, currently offers a 30,000-square-foot casino with 15 table games and 1,033 slots. Island View has 562 hotel rooms and a 350-seat buffet. Upon final build out, which is expected to be in the spring of 2007, Island View will feature a 520,000-square-foot-resort with 80,000-square feet of casino space including 2,400 slots and 50 table games, as well as an Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, a 24-hour steak house, coffee shop, sand-beach pool and covered parking. Island View Casino Resort is privately held by Rick Carter and Terry Green, two Gulfport natives and longtime casino executives committed to the post-Hurricane Katrina rebuilding efforts of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Wake Up to the Flavors of New Orleans, No Travel Required Atlanta, GA (April 3, 2007) – While brunch is a fixture on Sunday mornings throughout the South, there’s nothing quite like brunch in New Orleans. Emeril’s Atlanta will recreate this legendary brunch experience on Easter Sunday, April 8, from 11:00am-3:00pm, as Chef de Cuisine Michael Blydenstein and General Manager Averriel Thomas bring the soul and flavors of New Orleans direct to Buckhead.To commemorate a day filled with dyed Easter eggs, straw-filled baskets and oversized hats, Chef Michael will prepare a $45, Three Course Prix Fixe Menu. You can start with Chef Emeril Lagasse’s classic “new” New Orleans cuisine, showcased in starters such as Seafood & Andouille Sausage Gumbo or New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp with Petite Rosemary Biscuit. Read more »

J&W alumnus to give lecture at university
Emeril Lagasse — probably the first to earn the title “celebrity chef” — will make a fast visit Monday to Johnson & Wales University.

Simmer down, “Bam” fans: Mr. “Pork Fat Rules” won’t do any public appearances. He’ll do a cooking demonstration and give a lecture for students, have dinner at an undisclosed location and leave town Tuesday.

But it’s a coup for the Charlotte campus, which has been trying to host Lagasse since it opened in September 2004.

Lagasse is a J&W alumnus. He graduated from the Providence, R.I., campus in 1978 before a career that has included restaurants from New Orleans to Las Vegas, cooking shows on the Food Network, his own line of cookware and seasonings, and even a short-lived NBC sitcom. He’s been a supporter of the school through it all, holding a university-wide golf classic that has raised more than $1.6 million for scholarships.

Officially, Lagasse is coming to Charlotte to dedicate the campus’ classical French kitchen, which is named for him. He was supposed to come in September 2005, but the visit was postponed because of Hurricane Katrina.

“We’ve been looking to honor him,” said J&W spokeswoman Melinda Law.

KATHLEEN PURVIS
Food Editor

How to enter Good Morning America’s “Emeril’s Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed” contest:

Does your mom deserve breakfast in bed served by Chef Emeril Lagasse? Tell us why your mom is your hero. Has she overcome obstacles in her life? What makes your mom special? Submit an essay, not to exceed 50 words in length, explaining why the mom you are nominating (“Nominee”) deserves to receive “Emeril’s Breakfast in Bed,” which consists of a visit and breakfast prepared by Chef Lagasse in the winner’s home. Entrants may include a photo of the mom being nominated, however, photo submission is optional and entries will not be judged based on the photo. Entrants must have full rights to use any photo submitted; photos may not be the protected works of another party; entries submitted with inappropriate or offensive photos will be immediately disqualified. The contest begins 3/9/07 and all entries must be received by 12:00 am ET 4/27/07. Read more »

Open for lunch and dinner, Chef Emeril Lagasse’s new restaurant takes Asian cuisine and “kicks it up a notch” with his unique style. Tchoup Chop (pronounced chop-chop) has a gorgeous “tiki bar” decor complete with bamboo, waterfalls, sculpted gardens and giant woks in full view. The name is meant to offer a hint of New Orleans’ famous Tchoupitoulas Street, where Emeril’s parent restaurant is located.The menu focuses on the islands of the Pacific, borrowing flavors from Asia and Europe. Favorite main dishes include Kona coffee-glazed duck breast served with duck and vegetable chow mein, Kahlua slow-roasted pork and noodle saute and banana leaf-steamed fish with chile-onion salsa and a sake-soy glaze. The restaurant also features specialty drinks (try the Pago Pago, tropical mint-flavored rum with lime juice and fresh mint leaves) and a tea menu. It’s a journey for the palate.From: AOL CityGuide Orlando

Kicking Universal’s cuisine scene up a notch.It’s plausible that Emeril Lagasse’s original Orlando outpost could fall into the shadow of his swankier follow-up restaurant, Tchoup Chop, down the road. But Emeril’s still draws crowds of mostly loyal locals for the celebrity chef’s creative New Orleans cuisine, dished up in the heart of the Universal’s CityWalk.The Oyster Stew, a shallot-milk broth ‘kicked up’ with Andouille mashed potatoes, black pepper croutons and garlic aioli, is a must, and a perfect lighter option for lunch. For dinner, try the roasted rack of lamb with a Creole mustard crust or the pecan-coated Texas redfish. Gourmet pizzas and innovative soups, like the chilled puree of avocado with a crabmeat relish, are good options for the light eaters at your table. Don’t miss the chocolate mint mousse cake and the selection of homemade sorbets and ice creams for dessert. A sparkling, centerpiece show kitchen, tables covered with crisp linens and colorful, contemporary artwork on the walls add up to a hip and classy atmosphere to showcase Emeril’s masterpieces.Locals tip: The restaurant will validate your parking ticket if you park at the Hard Rock CafeFrom: AOL CityGuide Orlando

– February 13th Benefiting St. Michael Special School –
New Orleans, LA (January 5, 2007) – Some of New Orleans’ best-known and most talented chefs will come together to cook, teach, entertain and serve up an amazing lunch for local food lovers at the 30th Annual “Chefs’ Charity for Children” fundraiser. It will be held on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel.
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No New Orleanian has as high a profile in the outside world as Chef Emeril. He’s so well liked around America that his series of fundraisers for the city in the months right after the hurricane generated millions, dwarfing the numbers from any comparable private source.
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