Emeril Lagasse - celebrity chef, TV personality, restaurateur, and author - became interested in cooking when he was a boy growing up in Fall River, MA. When he was a teenager he worked in black apron in a Portuguese bakery, where he mastered the art of pastry and bread baking. When he graduated from high school he was offered full scholarship to New England Conservatory of Music, but instead he decided to become a professional chef. He earned his degree from the culinary bastion Johnson and Wales University which later bestowed an honorary Doctorate degree upon him.
After graduating, he traveled to France where he learned the art of classical French cuisine. Upon his return to the U.S., he polished his skills at fine restaurants in New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston before settling down as executive chef at the Commander's Palace in New Orleans. In 1990 Lagasse opened his own Emeril's Restaurant in downtown New Orleans' warehouse district; and two years later he opened NOLA in the French Quarter. In 1995 he brought his new-New Orleans style of cooking to Las Vegas, and opened Emeril's New Orleans Fish House in the MGM Grand Hotel. In 1998 he opened Emeril's Delmonico in the historic Garden District of New Orleans. Two more restaurants opened in 1999 - Emeril's Orlando at Universal Studios' City Walk, and the Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas' Venetian Resort. In 2003 he opened Tchoup chop in Universal Orlando's Royal Pacific Resort, and Emeril's Miami Beach in Loew's Miami Beach Hotel. In February 2008 he opened his Table 10 in Las Vegas' Palazzo and in 2009 he opened Emeril's Chop House in his chef coat in the Sands Casino Bethlehem PA, and Lagasse's Stadium in the Palazzo. His most recent project - and his first-ever hamburger joint - Burgers and More by Emeril, was also opened at Sands Bethlehem in 2009.
Lagasse's restaurants have consistently won critical praise and top ratings year after year. Emeril's Restaurant was named the Restaurant of the Year by Esquire Magazine in 1990, and a year later received the prestigious Wine Spectator's Grand Award. That same year the James Beard Foundation named him the Best Southeast Regional Chef. More recently, Emeril's Restaurant won the coveted Ivy Award. NOLA was named the Best New Restaurant by Esquire in 1993, and has been featured in Southern Living and Travel & Leisure magazines. Zagat named Emeril's New Orleans Fish House the Best Restaurant in Las Vegas. Las Vegas Life magazine named Delmonico Steakhouse the Best Steakhouse in town and the restaurant received Wine Spectator magazine's Grand Award two years later.
Emeril Lagasse himself has garnered numerous awards and accolades for his culinary expertise. GQ magazine chose him as Chef of the Year in 1998. The next year he was one of People magazine's 25 most intriguing people of the year. Restaurants & Institutions magazine named him Executive of the Year in corporate identity apparel in 2004. The next year Wine Spectator presented him its Distinguished Service Award for significant contributions to the wine industry. Nation's Restaurant News inducted him into its MenuMasters Hall of Fame in 2006, and the following year New Orleans CityBusiness named him Restaurateur of the Year. In 2009 Food Network gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award. Besides his restaurant work, Lagasse has been host of over two thousand Food Network TV shows and is food correspondent on ABC's Good Morning America. You can watch him on Essence of Emeril on Food Network, and Emeril Live on both Food Network and Cooking Channel.
After graduating, he traveled to France where he learned the art of classical French cuisine. Upon his return to the U.S., he polished his skills at fine restaurants in New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston before settling down as executive chef at the Commander's Palace in New Orleans. In 1990 Lagasse opened his own Emeril's Restaurant in downtown New Orleans' warehouse district; and two years later he opened NOLA in the French Quarter. In 1995 he brought his new-New Orleans style of cooking to Las Vegas, and opened Emeril's New Orleans Fish House in the MGM Grand Hotel. In 1998 he opened Emeril's Delmonico in the historic Garden District of New Orleans. Two more restaurants opened in 1999 - Emeril's Orlando at Universal Studios' City Walk, and the Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas' Venetian Resort. In 2003 he opened Tchoup chop in Universal Orlando's Royal Pacific Resort, and Emeril's Miami Beach in Loew's Miami Beach Hotel. In February 2008 he opened his Table 10 in Las Vegas' Palazzo and in 2009 he opened Emeril's Chop House in his chef coat in the Sands Casino Bethlehem PA, and Lagasse's Stadium in the Palazzo. His most recent project - and his first-ever hamburger joint - Burgers and More by Emeril, was also opened at Sands Bethlehem in 2009.
Lagasse's restaurants have consistently won critical praise and top ratings year after year. Emeril's Restaurant was named the Restaurant of the Year by Esquire Magazine in 1990, and a year later received the prestigious Wine Spectator's Grand Award. That same year the James Beard Foundation named him the Best Southeast Regional Chef. More recently, Emeril's Restaurant won the coveted Ivy Award. NOLA was named the Best New Restaurant by Esquire in 1993, and has been featured in Southern Living and Travel & Leisure magazines. Zagat named Emeril's New Orleans Fish House the Best Restaurant in Las Vegas. Las Vegas Life magazine named Delmonico Steakhouse the Best Steakhouse in town and the restaurant received Wine Spectator magazine's Grand Award two years later.
Emeril Lagasse himself has garnered numerous awards and accolades for his culinary expertise. GQ magazine chose him as Chef of the Year in 1998. The next year he was one of People magazine's 25 most intriguing people of the year. Restaurants & Institutions magazine named him Executive of the Year in corporate identity apparel in 2004. The next year Wine Spectator presented him its Distinguished Service Award for significant contributions to the wine industry. Nation's Restaurant News inducted him into its MenuMasters Hall of Fame in 2006, and the following year New Orleans CityBusiness named him Restaurateur of the Year. In 2009 Food Network gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award. Besides his restaurant work, Lagasse has been host of over two thousand Food Network TV shows and is food correspondent on ABC's Good Morning America. You can watch him on Essence of Emeril on Food Network, and Emeril Live on both Food Network and Cooking Channel.
