Emeril Lagasse Bio: Net Worth, Wife, Age, Parents, Height, TV Shows, Children, Recipes

Emeril Lagasse is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, and cookbook author known for popularizing Creole and Cajun cooking on a national stage.

Born Emeril John Lagasse III on October 15, 1959, in Fall River, Massachusetts, he is currently 66 years old.

He grew up in a household shaped by Portuguese and French-Canadian heritage, with his mother, Hilda Medeiros, introducing him to traditional Portuguese cooking early on. His father was Emeril John Lagasse Jr. Lagasse trained at Johnson & Wales University before honing his craft in Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania, and later studying classical French cooking in Paris and Lyon.

His career changed course in 1982 when Dick Brennan and Ella Brennan hired him to take over as executive chef of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, succeeding Paul Prudhomme. Nearly eight years there shaped the fusion style he became known for, blending Creole and Cajun technique with French, Portuguese, Asian, Caribbean, and Southwestern influences.

In 1990, he opened his first restaurant, Emeril’s, in New Orleans, the start of a hospitality empire that has since expanded across the country.

Lagasse became one of the earliest and most influential personalities on Food Network, hosting Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live, where catchphrases like “Bam!” and “Kick it up a notch!” turned him into a household name. He has won a James Beard Award and built a business spanning restaurants, cookbooks, branded seasonings, and cookware lines. He also founded the Emeril Lagasse Foundation in 2002 to support culinary education and children’s causes.

He has been married three times. His first marriage produced daughters Jessica Lagasse and Jillian Lagasse. Since 2000, he has been married to Alden Lovelace, a real estate broker, with whom he shares two children, Emeril John Lagasse IV and Meril Lovelace Lagasse. His son, known professionally as E.J. Lagasse, has followed him into the industry as a chef and co-owner of Emeril’s in New Orleans, earning two Michelin stars there in 2025.

Emeril Lagasse’s net worth is estimated at $70 million.

Emeril Lagasse
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Emeril John Lagasse III
Stage Name:	Emeril Lagasse
Born:	October 15, 1959 (age 66 years old)
Place of Birth:	Fall River, Massachusetts, United States
Nationality:	American
Ethnicity:	Portuguese, French-Canadian
Education:	Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, Johnson & Wales University
Height:	5 feet 7 inches (171 cm)
Religion:	Christianity (Catholic)
Parents:	Emeril John Lagasse Jr., Hilda Medeiros
Siblings:	Delores Lagasse, Mark Lagasse
Spouse:	Alden Lovelace (m. 2000), Tari Hohn (m. 1989–1996), Elizabeth Kief (m. 1978–1986)
Children:	Jessica Lagasse, Jillian Lagasse, Emeril John Lagasse IV, Meril Lovelace Lagasse
Occupation:	Chef, Restaurateur, Television Personality, Cookbook Author
Net Worth:	$70 million

Early Life & Education

Emeril Lagasse was born Emeril John Lagasse III on October 15, 1959, in Fall River, Massachusetts. His zodiac sign is Libra.

He is of mixed ethnicity, with Portuguese heritage through his mother and French-Canadian heritage through his father, and he has described himself as having grown up very Catholic.

His father, Emeril John Lagasse Jr., was a French-Canadian textile mill worker from Quebec, Canada, while his mother, Hilda Lagasse, was a Portuguese homemaker who instilled his early love of cooking. She died on August 24, 2016. He has an older sister, Delores Lagasse, and a younger brother, Mark Lagasse.

Lagasse discovered his passion for food as a teenager while working at a local Portuguese bakery in Fall River. In 1973, he enrolled in the culinary arts program at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, graduating in 1977.

A skilled percussionist, he was offered a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music but turned it down to pursue cooking professionally. He went on to study at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, earning his culinary arts degree in 1978, and the university later awarded him an honorary doctorate.

He further refined his technique studying classical French cuisine in Paris and Lyon, France.

Career

Emeril Lagasse began his professional career in 1979 as executive chef at the Dunfey’s Hyannis Resort in Massachusetts, a year after completing his studies at Johnson & Wales University. His career took a defining turn in 1982 when restaurateurs Dick Brennan and Ella Brennan hired him to succeed Paul Prudhomme as executive chef of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans.

He spent close to eight years there, immersing himself in Louisiana’s culinary traditions and blending Creole and Cajun technique with French, Portuguese, Asian, Caribbean, and Southwestern influences, a fusion style that came to be known as “New New Orleans” cuisine.

In 1990, Lagasse struck out on his own, opening his flagship restaurant, Emeril’s, in New Orleans. It was named “Restaurant of the Year” by Esquire magazine and went on to receive the Wine Spectator Grand Award beginning in 1999.

He steadily expanded his hospitality empire from there, opening additional restaurants across the country, including Meril, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House and Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas, Emeril’s Kitchen, and Emeril’s Table at New Orleans International Airport.

Lagasse became one of the earliest and most influential personalities on Food Network, hosting long-running shows including Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live, where his energetic, audience-driven style and catchphrases like “Bam!” and “Kick it up a notch!” turned him into a household name and helped transform professional chefs into mainstream television stars.

He later expanded into other programming, including The Emeril Lagasse Show and Emeril’s Florida, and has appeared as a judge on Bravo’s Top Chef, including its Seattle and New Orleans seasons.

Beyond television and restaurants, Lagasse built a wide-reaching consumer business spanning cookbooks, a signature line of Creole seasonings, cookware, and branded food products.

He is a regional James Beard Award winner and also received a James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year award. In 2002, he founded the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which supports culinary arts education and children’s programs, funded in part by his winnings from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

His portfolio of media, products, and restaurants has been estimated to generate roughly $150 million annually in revenue.

Social Media

• Wikipedia: Emeril Lagasse
• Instagram: Chef Emeril J. Lagasse III (@emeril)
• X: Emeril Lagasse (@Emeril)
• IMDb: Emeril Lagasse
• YouTube: Emeril Lagasse

Personal Life

Emeril Lagasse is currently 66 years old. He stands 5 feet 7 inches (171 cm) tall.

Lagasse has been married three times. He married his first wife, Elizabeth Kief, in 1978, after meeting her while working at the Venus de Milo restaurant to help pay his way through culinary school.

They had two daughters together before divorcing in 1986. He married his second wife, fashion designer Tari Hohn, in 1989. That marriage ended in divorce in 1996 without children.

Since 2000, he has been married to his third wife, Alden Lovelace, a real estate broker, with whom he shares two children.

Lagasse has four children in total. With Elizabeth Kief, he has daughters Jessica Lagasse and Jillian Lagasse. With Alden Lovelace, he has a son, Emeril John Lagasse IV, known professionally as E.J. Lagasse, and a daughter, Meril Lovelace Lagasse.

His son, E.J., has followed him into the industry as a chef and co-owner of Emeril’s in New Orleans.

Net Worth

Emeril Lagasse’s net worth stands at $70 million. The bulk of his fortune comes from a wide-reaching hospitality and media empire built over more than four decades in the culinary industry.

His restaurant portfolio anchors much of that wealth, spanning properties including Emeril’s and Meril in New Orleans, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House and Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas, Emeril’s Kitchen, and Emeril’s Table at New Orleans International Airport.

Television has been another major income stream, dating back to his years as one of Food Network’s earliest breakout stars on shows like Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live, and continuing through later projects and judging appearances on Bravo’s Top Chef.

Lagasse has also built substantial earnings through cookbooks, a signature line of Creole seasonings, cookware, and other branded food products, along with endorsement deals. Combined, his restaurants, television work, and business ventures have been estimated to generate roughly $150 million annually in revenue.

Filmography

Television

• Essence of Emeril (Food Network)
• Emeril Live (Food Network)
• The Emeril Lagasse Show
• Emeril’s Florida
• Emeril Green
• Emeril’s Table
• Great Chefs
• Top Chef (Bravo, judge, Seattle and New Orleans seasons)
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (contestant)

Restaurants

• Emeril’s (New Orleans)
• Meril (New Orleans)
• Emeril’s Kitchen (New Orleans)
• Emeril’s Table (New Orleans International Airport)
• Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House (Las Vegas)
• Delmonico Steakhouse (Las Vegas)

Cookbooks

• New New Orleans Cooking
• Louisiana Real and Rustic
• Emeril’s Creole Christmas

Philanthropy

• Emeril Lagasse Foundation (founded 2002)

What People Ask