About Emeril Lagasse
Emeril John Lagasse III ( EM-ə-rəl lə-GAH-see; born October 15, 1959) is an American chef, restaurateur, television personality, cookbook author, and National Best Recipe award winner for his "Turkey and Hot Sausage Chili" recipe in 2003. He is a regional James Beard Award winner, known for his mastery of Creole and Cajun cuisine and his self-developed "New New Orleans" style. He is of Portuguese descent on his mother's side while being of French heritage through his father. He is the father of Chef E. J. Lagasse. He has appeared on a wide variety of cooking television shows, including the long running Food Network shows Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril, and is associated with several catchphrases, including "Kick it up a notch!" and "Bam!". In 2005, Lagasse's portfolio of media, products, and restaurants was estimated to generate US$150 million annually in revenue. == Early life == Emeril John Lagasse III was born on October 15, 1959, in Fall River, Massachusetts. His father, Emeril John Lagassé Jr., was French Canadian from the Province of Quebec, and his mother, Hilda Medeiros, was from Portugal. Lagasse stated that he "grew up very Catholic". Lagasse worked in a Portuguese bakery as a teenager where he discovered his talent for cooking and subsequently enrolled in a culinary arts program at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.