Emeril’s has been a staple in New Orleans for quite some time. The restaurant closed in July for some renovations. The whole image has been revamped including the dining room, kitchen, service and cuisine. The restaurant will also get a new chef. Emeril’s son E.J. will be taking over at the high-profile restaurant.
“Witnessing E.J. take the reins and execute his own vision has been incredible to watch,” said Emeril Lagasse. “We are about to experience a new era at Emeril’s, and I’m excited to see E.J. and his talented team take it to a new level for our guests.”
“We’re taking the fundamentals of what Emeril’s meant in the ‘90s and correlating that with what is being done in food around the world now, which so inspires me,” said E.J. Lagasse.
“When you have a generational restaurant, you want to tap into the energy of today and evoke the past as well,” he said.
One big detail is there will be a new wine bar and a smaller dining room with seating for twelve. The restaurant will be a mix of both old and new.
“I didn’t want to come in here and vaporize people’s idea of Emeril’s,” E.J. Lagasse said. “I wanted that familiarity — it was important to me to pay homage to the history and the people who have been here.”
The new wine bar will be built around Emeril’s wine collection of over thirty thousand bottles. This will be a great addition and will have a more casual and budget-friendly atmosphere. The bar off Julia Street will serve both snacks and larger dishes. These include raw oysters, caviar service, ceviche and cheese plates, crab gumbo, barbecue shrimp, daily fish, and desserts.
“Now we’re here. We have all the tools necessary. Now it’s up to us to execute,” E.J. Lagasse said. “We are here to cook, serious cooking, technique-based cooking that’s using the produce we get from the Gulf Coast region.”
