Emeril Lagasse

Infobox Chef
name = Emeril Lagasse

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birthdate = birth date and age|1959|10|15
birthplace = Fall River, Massachusetts, USA
deathdate =
deathplace =
style = Cajun, Creole, and French
education = Johnson & Wales University
restaurants = Emeril's Restaurant (New Orleans); NOLA (New Orleans); Emeril's New Orleans Fish House (Las Vegas); Emeril's Delmonico (New Orleans); Emeril's Orlando (Universal Studios, Orlando); Delmonico Steakhouse (Las Vegas); Emeril's Tchoup Chop (Orlando); Emeril's Atlanta (Atlanta); Emeril's Miami Beach (Miami Beach) Emeril’s Gulf Coast Fish House (Gulfport) Table 10 (Las Vegas);
television = "Emeril Live", Essence of Emeril", Emeril Green

Emeril John Lagasse (born October 15 1959) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, and cookbook author. A regional James Beard Award winner, he is perhaps most notable for his Food Network shows "Emeril Live" and "Essence of Emeril" as well as catchphrases such as "kick it up a notch" and "BAM!"cite web |author=Walker, Rob |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2088885/ |title=Emeril's Tasty Toothpaste |publisher=Slate.com |date=2003-09-29 |accessdate=2007-07-06] cite web |author=Edwards, Gina |url=http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/jan/28/emeril_lagasse_lets_good_times_roll/ |title=Emeril Lagasse lets the good times roll |publisher=naplesnews.com |date=2006-01-28 |accessdate=2008-01-03] He is a 1978 graduate of Johnson & Wales University's College of Culinary Arts. The "Emeril Empire" of media, products and restaurants generates an estimated USD$150 million annually in revenue.cite news |title=Emeril's Empire |author=Schoenfeld, Brian |url=http://www.winespectator.com/Cigar/CA_Profiles/People_Profile/0,2540,216,00.html |publisher=Cigar Aficionado |date=2005-11-28 |accessdate=2007-07-05]

Biography

Chef, restaurateur, television personality. Born October 15, 1959, in the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts, where he was raised by his French-Canadian father, Emeril Jr., and his Portuguese mother, Hilda. While working at a local Portuguese bakery, the teenaged Lagasse developed a penchant for cooking. In 1973, he enrolled in the culinary arts program at Diman Vocational High School. Also a talented percussionist, Lagasse led the high school drum squad, playing at dances, banquets, and numerous local religious festivals.

Upon his high school graduation, Lagasse was offered a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music, but decided to pursue a career as a professional chef. He spent the next year training at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. In order to pay his tuition, Lagasse took a job at a local restaurant, where he met fellow student Elizabeth Kief. The two married in October 1978, a few months after Lagasse completed his course work. Lagasse polished his skills in Paris and Lyon, France, before returning to the United States, where he spent the next few years working in fine restaurants throughout the Northeast.

In 1982, Lagasse replaced Paul Prudhomme as executive chef of the famed New Orleans restaurant Commander’s Palace. This demanding position, which required Lagasse to work 18 hours a day, put a strain on his marriage. Lagasse and his wife divorced in 1986, at which time Elizabeth and their two children moved back to Massachusetts.cite web |url=http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9542380 |title=Emeril Lagasse Biography |publisher=A&E Television Networks |acdrummer earned him a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music but he chose instead to attend Johnson & Wales University in hopes of becoming a chef. He met his first wife, Elizabeth Kief, while working at a restaurant called "Venus De Milo" to pay his way through school. He graduated from Johnson and Wales in 1978 and the school later awarded him an honorary doctorate. cite web |url=http://www.emerils.com/emeril/biography.html |title=Chef Emeril Lagasse: Biography |publisher=Emerils.com |accessdate=2007-07-05]

Career

Lagasse initially gained fame in the culinary world as Executive Chef of Commander's Palace. After leaving Commander's he opened his first restaurant, Emeril's, in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1990. It was designated "Restaurant of the Year" in "Esquire" magazine of that year. Lagasse is mainly known for his emphasis on Creole and Cajun cooking styles. Indeed, many of his restaurants as well as his corporate office, Emeril's Homebase, are located in New Orleans. Lagasse is the executive chef and proprietor of ten restaurants.

Lagasse also acted as Grand Marshall of the 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade and presided over the nationally-telecast coin-toss before the game wearing a business suit--a rarity for Lagasse who is normally attired in chef's garb.

In April 2008, Emeril closed the doors on Emeril's Atlanta after being open since 2003. Emeril's Atlanta has been the first and only Emeril's restaurant to close. [http://www.accessatlanta.com/restaurants/content/restaurants/stories/2008/04/21/emeril_0421.html]

Television

After several appearances on several other FoodTV programs, Lagasse hosted his own show, "The Essence of Emeril". "Essence" in the title refers to Emeril's Essence, the name of a spice blend of his own concoction that he frequently uses in his cooking, and which is commercially available in several flavors. He also often suggested that viewers of his show create their own spice blends that reflect their personal tastes and be unafraid to use them to customize the dishes he would teach. Lagasse has been nominated eight times for a Daytime Emmy Award for his Food Network shows without winning. On November 27, 2007 The Food Network announced that it would be canceling the Emeril Live show on December 11, 2007. The Food Network, however, stated that Essence of Emeril will continue production.

Lagasse briefly starred in a self-titled TV sitcom on NBC during the fall 2001 season with Robert Urich, but it was canceled after several episodes and widely panned by critics. Lagasse also appeared on Shop at Home Network (which, like Food Network, was owned by Scripps Networks), on the show "From Emeril's Kitchen" from 2005-06. The program was discontinued after Scripps liquidated Shop at Home's assets to Jewelry Television in June 2006. Lagasse has appeared on the Home Shopping Network for the channel's 30th anniversary.

On television, Lagasse is known for his light and jovial hosting style as well as several catchphrases, including "BAM!", "kick it up a notch", "aw, yeah, babe" and "feel the love", usually said before or after adding something spicy to a dish, or after the reaction to adding something, respectively. When frying or making dishes like sausage, Lagasse advocates using genuine lard, boasting "Pork fat rules!" This style developed fully and Lagasse became more comfortable when a live studio audience was added in the change from "Essence of Emeril" to "Emeril Live".

Lagasse is currently hosting his new daily series "Emeril Green" that airs on Discovery Channel's new eco-lifestyle network Planet Green. "Emeril Green" is filmed on location at Whole Foods Markets across the United States. [cite web |url=http://www.eonline.com/gossip/planetgossip/detail/index.jsp?uuid=a1608bbc-1e0b-4dd8-95dc-4ba3627498d5&sid=fd-planet |title=Exclusive! Emeril's Green Days |firstname=Marc |lastname=Malkin |publisher=E! |work=Planet Gossip |date=2008-02-28 |accessdate=2008-02-28

Cuisine

Lagasse calls his cuisine "New New Orleans". He describes it as using local (Louisiana) ingredients in new and different ways.Fact|date=March 2008 It should be noted, however, that the styles of cuisine from Lagasse's many restaurants vary a great deal. Tchoup-Chop in Orlando is "Pan-Asian" while Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian in Las Vegas is a traditional steakhouse.

Culinary Contribution to Space Exploration

In August 2006, Lagasse contributed several recipes to the meal selection aboard the International Space Station, as part of a general NASA effort to improve the quality of the food supply for astronauts. Lagasse's cuisine in particular was selected in the hopes that the spicier fare would offset the reported tendency of microgravity to deaden flavors. [ [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/emeril_ISS_food.html "Station Crew ‘Kicks it Up a Notch’ with Chef Emeril Lagasse."] NASA press release. August 10, 2006. Accessed June 20, 2007.

Merchandising and endorsements

Lagasse has a wide range of Emeril-branded products. On June 8, 2000, he signed a deal with B&G Foods to create a line of dry grocery products marketed under the label Emeril's. [cite web |url=http://sec.edgar-online.com/2004/04/02/0001047469-04-010612/Section2.asp |title=B&G Foods Annual Report (10-K) |date=2004-04-02 |accessdate=2007-07-05] The product line includes pasta sauces, marinades, salsas and Lagasses' signature "Essence" spice blend. He followed this up in 2004 by lending his name to a line of fresh produce made by Pride of San Juan. The products, branded "Emeril's Gourmet Produce" include spring mix salad blends, fresh herbs and heirloom tomatoes. [cite web |author=Gaylord, Brian |url=http://www.producenews.com/StoryNews.cfm?ID=7001 |title=The Produce Exchange to market 'Emeril's Gourmet Produce' |publisher=The Produce News |date=2007-06-22 |accessdate=2007-07-05]

Lagasse also has two lines of kitchen knives produced by Wüsthof and cookware made by All-Clad as well as a line of kitchen electrical appliances made by T-Fal.

Recently he has appeared in Crest toothpaste commercials yelling his trademark catchphrase, "BAM!".

On February 19, 2008, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia announced it had acquired the rights to all Emeril products including cookware, cookbooks, television shows and food products in a $50 million agreement. Legasse retains rights to his restaurants and corporate offices. [cite web |author=Reuters|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN1922876120080220 |title=Martha Stewart to buy TV chef's media properties: report |publisher=Reuters |date=2008-02-19 |accessdate=2008-02-20]

Currently he is hosting a YouTube contest for Crest Whitening Expressions toothpaste called "What’s Your Catch Phrase"?

Bibliography

Lagasse has written several best-selling cookbooks, from "Emeril's New New Orleans Cooking", his first book which was published in 1993, to "Emeril's Delmonico", published in 2005.

*"Emeril's New New Orleans Cooking" (1993)
*"Louisiana Real and Rustic" (1996)
*"Emeril’s Creole Christmas" (1997)
*"Emeril’s TV Dinners" (1998)
*"Every Day’s a Party" (1999)
*"Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup!: Recipes for the Kid in Everyone" (2002)
*"From Emeril's Kitchens: Favorite Recipes from Emeril's Restaurants" (2003)
*"Emeril's Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude" (2004)

References

External links

* [http://www.emerils.com Official website]
* [http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/emeril-green/ "Emeril Green" TV show]
* [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_em "Emeril Live" TV show]
* [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ee "Essence of Emeril" TV show]
*imdb name|id=0991849|name=Emeril Lagasse
* [http://www.famousinterview.ca/interviews/emeril_lagasse.htm Interview with Emeril Lagasse]