New York, NY (April 6, 2005) ABC’s Good Morning America was nominated for a 2005 James Beard Foundation/Broadcast Media Award in the category of “Television Food Segment.” Hosts of Good Morning America include Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. Producers of the show are Margo Baumgart and Maria Licari.

The awards will be announced at the 15th Annual James Beard Foundation Awards on Monday, May 2 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Information about the awards and a full list of nominees and honorees can be found at www.jamesbeard.org.

While everybody else is claiming to be “Out of the Box”, Emerils.com is jumping right into a BOX…a Gift Box that is. Emerils.com has launched an entire section of the store front completely devoted to Emeril’s Gift Boxes. From stocking your own kitchen pantry to surprising your child with their very first chefs starter kit, you’ll find a little something for everyone on your gift list.
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New York, NY (April 6, 2005) Nominees were announced today for the 2005 James Beard Foundation Awards. Matt Lirette, Sommelier at Emerils Restaurant in New Orleans was nominated in the category of ‘Waterford Outstanding Wine Service Award.’ The award is given to the restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, knowledgeable staff and efforts to educate customers about wine.

Matt Lirette has worked at Emerils restaurants since 1996. He has worked as Sommelier at all three of Emeril Lagasses New Orleans restaurants including Emerils, NOLA, and Emerils Delmonico. Emerils Restaurant, which recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary, is the first restaurant owned and operated by Chef Emeril Lagasse. Lagasse is now the chef/proprietor of nine restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlanta and Miami.

The awards will be announced at the 15th Annual James Beard Foundation Awards on Monday, May 2 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Information about the awards and a full list of nominees and honorees can be found at www.jamesbeard.org.

Matt Lirette, sommelier at Emeril’s has been nominated by the Beard Foundation for an award in the “Outstanding Wine Service” category. Of course we have always known he was tops, but this nomination says it all and we are so proud!!

FYI, this category recognizes “A restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well presented wine list, knowledgeable staff and efforts to educate customers about wine.”

by Cynthia Ward Vesey, Senior Editor

Reprinted with the permission of Home World Business, ICD Publications

CHICAGO March 20 2005 - The Wedgwood Housewares Group, a new division of Wedgwood, will launch the Emeril Professional collection of dinnerware, food prep and oven-to-table pieces here at the International Home & Housewares Show.

The new Emeril tableware joins a growing stable of housewares licensed by popular restauranteur, TV personality and author Chef Emeril Lagasse. The Emerilware line includes cookware and bakeware by All-Clad and cutlery by Wusthof.
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Sanita Clogs and Emeril announce a new line of kids’ clogs (to be available in spring 2005), which feature wooden soles that will delight young cooks and aspiring chefs. Just like the adult versions, the kids’ clogs will be available in open and closed backs and will be offered children’s sizes from 7 and up.

Clogs are IN! Ideal for casual wear they can go from the kitchen to the mall (man, are they comfortable), or taking the dog for a walk. Now also available in brown oilskin, you can have two pair to coordinate with your (his or hers) wardrobe.

EMERIL DEBUTS NEW MERCHANDISE

ALL-CLAD

All-Clad, considered America’s premier cookware company, joined with Emeril Lagasse in 1999 to produce the Emerilware collection that includes both nonstick and stainless steel pieces. From skillets to roasting pans, saucepans to stockpots, steamers to casseroles, the collection features the All-Clad high quality construction that is warranted to last a lifetime.
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Tell Us Who You Think Deserves Breakfast in Bed from Chef Emeril Lagasse in 2005

Emeril Lagasse fans wait for his Breakfast in Bed contest each year. It’s their chance to tell Emeril their own story about a personal hero who they believe deserves breakfast in bed.
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New York Daily News
March 25, 2005

A newly renovated school cafeteria - Bam!
Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse stopped in at a Harlem school yesterday to tell pizza-eating students he is going to soup up their cafeteria as part of a cable television contest.

“Not only did you win, you won me, too,” Lagasse told kids at the Children’s Storefront School on E.129th St.

“We aren’t just going to kick it up, we are going to kick it up a big notch,” Lagasse vowed.

The independent, tuition-free school entered the Food Network’s “All-Star Kitchen Makeover” contest, in which celebrity chefs, including Bobby Flay and Lagasse, overhaul old kitchens. The Children’s Storefront is the first school to win.

“This is the greatest moment of my life,” said fourth-grader Olivia Thompson, a star-struck 9-year-old.

Over the next month, Lagasse and his helpers will install a new oven and refrigerator and bring in fans and warming ovens, school officials said. The renovated kitchen should be completed by April 22.

“Our kitchen is pretty old and run-down,” said Kathy Egmont, head of Children’s Storefront, where 170 students are enrolled in prekindergarten through eighth grade. “We will be able to cook more food more quickly and have a better variety of lunches,” she said.

The school is housed in what used to be a single-family home and has been dishing out lunch from a basement cafeteria for 39 years.

Students seemed to care little yesterday about the type of food the new cafeteria would serve. Many just wanted to know what color the walls would be painted.

“I think they should paint it red - Bam! - and blue,” Olivia said.

Kathleen Lucadamo

NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 15, 2005) — On March 24, the award-winning Emeril’s Restaurant celebrates an important milestone, its fifteenth anniversary. Emeril’s is the first restaurant owned and operated by Chef Emeril Lagasse. Lagasse is now the chef/proprietor of nine restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlanta and Miami.

Since the restaurant first opened its doors on March 24, 1990 in the Warehouse District, it immediately became the focus of ecstatic praise. In its first year, the restaurant was named “Best New Restaurant” by John Mariani of Esquire magazine and has since received numerous awards including the prestigious “Ivy Award” from Restaurants & Institutions magazine in 1994, and Wine Spectator magazine’s highest honor, the “Grand Award” in 1999. The restaurant has also earned “Four Diamonds” from AAA and “Four Stars” from Mobil Travel Guide.

The menu at Emeril’s is an exploration of what Lagasse calls ‘new’ New Orleans cooking, Creole cuisine with ethnic influences such as Southwestern, Asian, or Portuguese. Lagasse and Chef de Cuisine Chris Wilson remain devoted as ever to using fresh, top quality ingredients, and employs cottage industry ranchers, farmers, and fisherman to ensure that the menu incorporates only the finest and freshest products available. Emeril’s New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp, Pecan Crusted Texas Redfish and Banana Cream Pie continue to be signature dishes today, along with the indigenous seafood like Panneed Oysters with Sweet Corn Maque Choux, and Creole Marinated Calamari.

Emeril’s is located in a renovated warehouse on Tchoupitoulas Street, true to the feel of the Warehouse District neighborhood. Designed by the David Rockwell Group, the interior features exposed brick, hardwood floors, an open kitchen and a unique chef’s food bar with a signature metal and glass proscenium filled with spices.

Upper management at Emeril’s includes Tony Lott, Director of Operations; Chris Wilson, Chef de Cuisine; Kevin Delaune, General Manager; and Matt Lirette, Sommelier.

Chef Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of nine award-winning restaurants including three in New Orleans (Emeril’s, NOLA and Emeril’s Delmonico); two in Las Vegas (Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House and Delmonico Steakhouse); two in Orlando (Emeril’s Orlando and Emeril’s Tchoup Chop); one in Atlanta (Emeril’s Atlanta) and one in Miami (Emeril’s Miami Beach). Lagasse became a national TV personality with the Food Network’s production of “The Essence of Emeril” and “Emeril Live.” In addition, Lagasse is also Food Correspondent for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Lagasse is also a best-selling author. His eleventh book, Emeril’s Delmonico will debut in October 2005.

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