Scatter soaked hardwood chunks over your coals for a quick and easy way to add a smoky nuance to your grilled foods.

I’m pretty actively involved with the military because I think they’re incredible human beings. If I can give back to them for what they’re doing for us, it’s a good thing. And I think to...

You know, for 300 years it’s been kind of the same. There are restaurants in New Orleans that the menu hasn’t changed in 125 years, so how is one going to change or evolve the...

Whether it’s books or TV, or whatever the case may be, the backbone of what I do is my restaurants.

When I want to kick it up, I like to add hardwood chips or chunks to the grill; it adds bold smoky flavors. The most common woods are hickory and mesquite, but you can find...

I think many cooks are afraid of undercooked meats. A good thermometer is a cook’s best friend.

My Food Network shows, ‘Emeril Live’ and ‘Essence of Emeril,’ are not in production right now, but I wouldn’t say that I’m necessarily leaving Food Network. I have a lot of television still in me....

I can’t tell you enough about cinnamon. Cinnamon is an awesome spice to use and it goes great with something like apples in the morning or in a mixture of fruit or in your oatmeal...

I launched The Emeril Lagasse Foundation to provide culinary training, and developmental and educational programs to children in the cities where my restaurants operate. I think everyone has a responsibility to give back to the...

I think all kids need snacks. Mine are fruit machines. I give them things like apple slices, berries and melon. Do I let them eat ice cream? Absolutely. But not every day.

I don’t limit myself.

Wrap fish fillets, sliced veggies, and other quick-cooking items inside foil packets with bundles of fresh herbs and throw them directly on the grill; the steam will release the herb’s perfume and flavor anything contained...

If somebody has a chance to put my food in their mouth, that tells the story.

Being a food show and being me, I always kicked it up a notch, which means I would always elevate the spice level or the complexity of a particular dish. So, it was always like...

When I cook with my son, I might chop vegetables and have fun with different shapes. Cooking is a way to teach kids about other things, like reading or math with all of the weights...

I respected it. I submerged myself into it. So on a lot of days off I would go and fish with the fishermen and the families that ran the boats. I would go work the...

Those other 10 o’clock shows that come on, all you get from them is headaches and nightmares when you go to bed! At least we give you food, know what I mean?

In the restaurant it’s much more serious.

You go to a restaurant in the States and kids have these game boards at the table. You don’t see that in Italy or Spain. It’s not because they can’t afford to buy them, it’s...

Radishes grow just about anywhere. People think, ‘Oh it’s just a radish.’ But radishes are delicious, and people don’t think of cooking them.

I was on the board of Andre Agassi’s foundation, and seeing the way it operated blew my mind. In 2002, I told my wife, I want to start a foundation to give back, I want...

I think you’ve got to keep it simple, keep it fresh. Stay away from all that processed stuff, read the labels.

I wouldn’t ask any of my employees to do anything I wouldn’t do. And I work as hard, if not harder than the rest of the staff, to set an example. I also believe in...

We’ll be going to the fish market and a farmer’s market this afternoon to get what we need to make and eat dinner as a family. I’m trying to expose my kids to going to...

My family… always had the value of the family table and these cultural influences of growing up.

The cool thing is that now that people have made this evolution where cooking is cool, people are doing it on weekends, they’re doing their own challenges. It’s back to cooking. And it’s real cooking.

We’re probably close to reaching 2,000 shows, which is more than Julia Child and Jacques Pepin together.

My office in New York is overflowing with all kinds of cookbooks, and in New Orleans we have a huge culinary library. So yeah, I guess I’m a little bit obsessed.

My favorite Aspen memory is saving an upside-down cake that had exploded from the high altitude.

The premise of ‘The Originals’ are places that have been open 50, 60, 75, 100 years or longer that are still doing it right that maybe a lot of people, particularly the younger generations, have...

You have to be cautious of eating continuously the same thing. Beef comes to mind right away, and there’s nothing wrong with beef, but you’ve got to do whatever you’re doing in moderation. So try...

When it ceases to be fun, I’ll stop and just stay in my restaurants.

My inspiration was my mom. She’s a great cook, and she still cooks, and we still banter back and forth about cooking. Growing up in a mostly Portuguese community, food was important and the family...

You are going to be what you put in your body, so I try to teach that to my kids, and the kids around me.

When I first decided to open a restaurant, I was turned down by several banks. It was the late 80’s and many restaurants were failing. I refused to give up because I knew I had...

You gotta have good olive oil. You should have a cooking olive oil and you should have a finishing olive oil, like an extra-virgin olive oil.

The world has changed, and it’s almost been 11 years. I have 975 employees. I have six restaurants. We haven’t opened any new ones in almost three years.

I guess I feel that I was following my instincts, and at the same time being guided by the best. I became totally intrigued with Louisiana – the people, the food. It is a part...

A lot of parents ask me how to get kids to eat more vegetables. The first thing I say is that it starts from the top.

I’m working harder than ever now, and I’m putting on my pants the same as I always have. I just get up every day and try to do a little better than the day before,...

I had these recipes that say do this, do that. Who MAKES these rules?

You know, in 1975 I couldn’t get a job in New York City because I was American. The kitchens were predominantly run by French, Swiss, German, and basically I got laughed at. I had education,...

My philosophy from day one is that I can sleep better at night if I can improve an individual’s knowledge about food and wine, and do it on a daily basis.

We began building this incredible new foundation in this restaurant, and that’s what began giving me the left-hand side of tradition and the right-hand side, my new palate.

I make some of my best recipes with a simple homemade stock. Keep shrimp shells stored in a plastic bag in the freezer. When you have almost a gallon-bag full, you can make a stock...

Growing up in New England, being schooled and classically trained, it needed to shake, it needed to evolve.

Many of my staff have been with me for over 20 years. I have a great team, and I make sure they feel respected and appreciated.

Mom ran the house, so we grew up Portuguese.

You can easily put together your own favorite spice blend, whether that’s a salt and pepper mixture or you’re adding herbs to it or Creole spice. Just watch out for the sodium content. That why...

We’re setting up an urban farm for kids on more than 20 acres in New Orleans. We want to make this a world-class educational center for the community.