Chef Emeril Lagasse joins season nine of Top Chef as a series judge. Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 13 restaurants including three in New Orleans (Emeril’s, NOLA and Emeril’s Delmonico); four in Las Vegas (Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, Delmonico Steakhouse, Table 10 and Lagasse’s Stadium); two in Orlando (Emeril’s Orlando and Tchoup Chop); one in Miami (Emeril’s Miami Beach), and three at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania (Emeril’s Italian Table, Emeril’s Chop House and Burgers And More by Emeril).

As a national TV personality, he has hosted over 2000 shows on the Food Network, and is the food correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America. His latest series, Emeril’s Table, premieres in late September on Hallmark Channel, in which he invites viewers to join a group of five special diners at his chef’s table for an intimate shared experience that includes a cooking lesson and recipes geared toward their interests. He is also the host of Fresh Food Fast and The Originals with Emeril, both appearing on Cooking Channel. His widely popular series Emeril Live also airs on Cooking Channel.

In addition to his television presence, Emeril has a live, call-in radio program, Cooking with Emeril, which airs exclusively on Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS XM. He also has a column in Everyday Food magazine where the chef, his eight-year-old son, E.J., and six-year-old daughter, Meril, provide delicious family-friendly recipes. 

Lagasse is the best-selling author of 15 cookbooks including Emeril’s New New Orleans Cooking which introduced his creative take on Creole cuisine. His newest book, Sizzling Skillets and other One-Pot Wonders, hits shelves September 27. 

In 2002, Emeril 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 given over $4 million to children’s causes in New Orleans, Las Vegas and on the Gulf Coast.

Lagasse's restaurant company, Emeril's Homebase, is located in New Orleans and houses culinary operations, a test kitchen for recipe development, and a boutique store for his signature products.

Emeril Lagasse joined the Martha Stewart family of brands in 2008; Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (NYSE: MSO) acquired the assets related to Emeril’s media and merchandising business, including television programming, cookbooks, and emerils.com website and his licensed kitchen and food products.