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Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Emeril Lagasse
This award is presented to the Louisiana business professional that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the deal community in the state through their involvement in M&A transactions, financings, corporate development or corporate growth. This individual has demonstrated the highest level of professionalism, leadership and ethics through their business practices.
Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 10 restaurants, including four in New Orleans (Emeril’s, Meril, Emeril’s Brasserie at Harrah’s Casino and Emeril’s Table at the MSY Airport); two in Las Vegas (Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House and Delmonico Steakhouse); one in Miramar Beach, Florida (Emeril’s Coastal); and, his three restaurants at sea, Emeril’s Bistro 1396 on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras ship, Emeril’s Bistro 1397 on Carnival Celebration and Emeril’s Bistro 717 on Carnival Jubilee. 34 Restaurant and Bar, Lagasse’s love letter to Portugal, is slated to open in New Orleans in late summer 2024.
As a national TV personality, Lagasse has hosted more than 2,000 shows on the Food Network. Most recently, The Roku Channel released two original series "Emeril Cooks” and "Emeril Tailgates.” In 2016, Amazon launched an original series featuring Lagasse called “Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse.” The series received five daytime Emmy nominations and won Outstanding Culinary Program. The series was also a James Beard semifinalist in the category Outstanding Personality of Host. Lagasse has appeared as a guest judge on Bravo’s hit food series, “Top Chef,” was a co-host for TNT’s first cooking series, “On the Menu,” and the tenth season of the “Rachael Ray Show” and served as the food correspondent for ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Lagasse is the bestselling author of 19 cookbooks, the latest titled Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen.
Throughout the years, Lagasse has received accolades and lifetime awards for his contributions to the American culinary industry including the “Distinguished Service Award” from Wine Spectator, the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and the “Humanitarian of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation for his dedicated efforts to further the culinary arts in America as well as his philanthropic work. In February 2024, he was named Honorary President of Bocuse d’Or Americas, a global culinary competition that will be held in New Orleans in June 2024.
In 2002, Lagasse established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children’s educational programs that inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts, nutrition, healthy eating, and important life skills. To date, the Foundation has distributed over $19.3 million in grants benefitting children’s charities in New Orleans, Las Vegas and on the Gulf Coast. In 2013, Lagasse was named the Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation for his dedicated efforts to further the culinary arts in America, as well as his philanthropic work supporting children’s educational programs through his Foundation.
Lagasse's restaurant company, The Emeril Group, is located in New Orleans and houses culinary operations and a test kitchen for recipe development. For more information visit theemerilgroup.com.
Prior Award Winners for Lifetime Achievement: 2023 P. K. Scheerle, RN; 2022 Alden J. McDonald, Jr.; 2019 Roger Ogden; 2018 Paul Flower; 2017 Tom Benson; 2016 Hans Sternberg; 2015 Robert Merrick; 2014 Darryl Berger; 2013 Paul Mcilhenny; 2012 John P. Laborde, Sr.; 2011 Donald T. Bollinger; 2010 Frank B. Stewart, Jr.; 2009 T.G. Solomon Jr.; 2008 D.B.H. Chaffe, III.