Disclaimer:  This website is NOT an official website for Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Homebase, Emeril's, NOLA, Emeril's New Orleans Fish House, Delmonico's, the Television Food Network , ABC Television or William Morrow and Company, Inc.  I am in no way affiliated with the previously  mentioned entities.  I am just a humble fan who loves food and Emeril.  If you're a lawyer for Mr. Lagasse, William Morrow and Company, Inc. or TVFN, please don't sue me.  Free publicity is good.  Yes?

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Chef Profile

The world of culinary professionals, critics, gourmets and foodies applauded enthusiastically when one of New Orleans' brightest stars - Executive Chef Emeril Lagasse of Commander's -- spun out into his own orbit, and opened Emeril's Restaurant in March, 1990.

From its first day, Emeril's Restaurant -- and the multitalented man who reinvents it at every meal -- became the focus of ecstatic praise. And congratulations came not only from the local New Orleans gentry or the writers who prowl the region for culinary news, but from national magazines like Esquire, Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure; from noted food critics like John Mariani and Gene Bourg. In fact, Restaurants & Institutions awarded Emeril's Restaurant with the prestigious Ivy Award for 1994.

Yet Emeril's background was modest. As a boy growing up in the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts, he worked at a local Portuguese bakery, where he became adept in the art of bread and pastry baking. As a teen, Emeril turned down a music scholarship to follow his real dream and worked his way through the culinary program at Johnson and Wales University, from which he holds his Doctorate degree.

Finished with his formal Education, Emeril turned his eye toward the classic cuisine of France, and after polishing his skills in Paris and Lyons he returned to the States, where he performed in several fine restaurants in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. His extraordinary talent, coupled with his unswerving commitment to using only the finest, freshest products in the masterpieces he created brought him to the attention, among others, of Ella Brennan, the doyenne of New Orleans' culinary community. Ella persuaded 26-year-old Emeril to move to the Big Easy, where for 7 1/2 years he presided - to enormous critical acclaim -- over Ella and Dick Brennan's legendary restaurant, Commander's Palace.

Now captain of his own ship, Emeril hasn't really changed much. He remains devoted as ever to using fresh, top quality ingredients in the dishes he creates, and employs cottage industry ranchers, farmers, and fisherman to ensure that he will always get the best for his restaurant. He tirelessly explores the Gulf waters and the Louisiana countryside to discover untapped sources for delicious and interesting food experiences. And he has reliable sources around the country from whom he orders whatever fresh meat, fish or produce he can't get at home. And he is always, always creating, much to the delight of his regular customers, of whom there are a horde -- not only locals, but also a growing cadre of those lucky enough to be able to fly down to N'Awlins just for lunch or dinner at Emeril's.

The food at Emeril's is somewhat eclectic, but leans more toward what Emeril calls "New New Orleans" cuisine. Although the menu often abounds with a pastiche of tempting dishes in the style of Southwestern, West Coast Oriental, or New England cooking, the roots of each -- as well as some of the ingredients -- are usually in the Creole genre. At a single meal, for instance, a diner might enjoy a stir-fry of crawfish over fried noodles with sesame and ginger sauce, and hickory-grilled chicken with black bean sauce, fresh tomato salsa, guacamole and tortilla strips. Or another might order the smoked duck and wild mushroom gumbo, and rack of lamb with Creole mustard crust, rosemary au jus and apple mint relish. Dessert could be a unique homemade goat cheese cheesecake with Creole cream cheese coulis, a rich chocolate pecan terrine with coffee anglaise sauce, or a totally sinfully banana crust and caramel drizzles.

The charisma of the Chef contributes greatly to the warmth of the renovated warehouse, where exposed brick and glass walls flank one side of the 120-seat main dining room. The most recent addition of the 50-seat private party room satisfies the customer hosting a special event. At a sassy semicircular food bar, an additional eight or so lucky diners can watch Chef Emeril personally create magic for them as he turns culinary excitement out of his skillets, all the while chatting with his audience and wowing them with his twinkly, puckish grin.

Emeril's Restaurant will always offer something fresh and deliciously provocative because Emeril himself never stops thinking of new ways to outdo everything he's already done. It's no wonder that Emeril's star has risen so high so quickly in a world already crowded with dazzling restaurants and celebrity chefs.

Here are his cookbooks You should be able to find them in your local bookstore.

Master Chef Emeril Lagasse, owner of New Orleans' most talked-about restaurants, shows you how to cook like a gourmet. Using his favorite Cajun and Creole dishes, Emeril demonstrates the recipes and techniques that can turn anyone into an innovative cook. For Emeril's Essence recipe, look below. Recipes Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Emeril's Southwest Seasoning:

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Rustic Rub:

8 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons cayenne
5 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
6 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme

Combine all ingredients and store in an air-tight container.

ASPARAGUS AND CRAB RAGOUT

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/2 cup peeled, seeded diced tomato (concasse)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 pound cooked asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces on diagonal (about1 cup)
1/2 cup light fish or chicken stock
1 cup lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
2 prepared puff pastry shells, baked
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

Heat oil in a sauté pan, add shallots and cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add asparagus and stock. Bring to a boil, add crabmeat and stir in butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Split open piping hot pastry shells and spoon ragout into bottom half. Set top over on an angle and sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 2 Appetizer or Lunch servings

BAKLAVA

1 pound phyllo leaves (approximately 24 leaves), thawed, wrapped
3 sticks butter, melted
1 pound almonds or walnuts, coarsely-ground
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Syrup:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Chopped zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unfold phyllo dough on work surface until flat. Place a 9x13-inch jelly roll pan over phyllo and cut dough to fit pan (save scraps for additional inside layers or for another recipe). Cover phyllo dough with a clean, damp towel. Brush bottom and sides of jelly roll pan with butter to coat. Mix nuts with cinnamon. Cover bottom of pan with 1 sheet of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat 7 times. Sprinkle with a of nut mixture. Cover with 3 layers of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Layer with nut mixture and repeat with 3 layers of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Layer with remaining nut mixture, and cover with 8 layers of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Push edges of dough into sides of pan to even them. Using a sharp knife, cut pastry into small diamond shapes (with 12-inch sides), cutting through all way layers. Sprinkle water over top to prevent phyllo from curling up. Bake for 1 hour.

In a saucepan combine sugar, water, corn syrup and orange zest. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in honey. Set aside to cool slightly. Remove baklava from oven and pour warm syrup over entire pan. Serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

SWEET BISCOTTI

2 2/3 cups flour
1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 3/4 cups toasted hazelnuts
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
12 ounces white chocolate, chopped, for dipping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In workbowl of an electric mixer combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and espresso powder using paddle on low speed. Add nuts and semisweet chocolate chips. Lightly whisk eggs and vanilla and add to flour mixture at low speed. Mix just until dough comes together. Turn out dough and knead lightly to work any unincorporated dry ingredients into dough. Form into four logs, each 2 inches in diameter. Place on two parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Logs should be firm, with cracks in top and dough should be completely dry to touch. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Let logs cool slightly then cut them on a slight diagonal into 3/4-inch thick slices. Lay them flat on cookie sheets and bake for 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate for dipping in top of a double boiler or in microwave, stirring until smooth. Cool biscotti completely on racks before dipping in white chocolate. Place finished biscotti on parchment-lined cookie sheets in a cool place until chocolate solidifies. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

Disclaimer:  This website is NOT an official website for Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Homebase, Emeril's, NOLA, Emeril's New Orleans Fish House, Delmonico's, the Television Food Network , ABC Television or William Morrow and Company, Inc.  I am in no way affiliated with the previously  mentioned entities.  I am just a humble fan who loves food and Emeril.  If you're a lawyer for Mr. Lagasse, William Morrow and Company, Inc. or TVFN, please don't sue me.  Free publicity is good.  Yes?

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Disclaimer:  This website is not, repeat, not an official website for Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Homebase, Emeril's, NOLA, Emeril's New Orleans Fish House, Delmonico's, the Television Food Network , ABC Television or William Morrow and Company, Inc.  I am in no way affiliated with the previously  mentioned entities.  I am just a humble fan who loves food and Emeril.  If you're a lawyer for Mr. Lagasse, William Morrow and Company, Inc. or TVFN, please don't sue me.  Free publicity is good.  Yes?