Lagasse spoke to PEOPLE at the 2025 ‘Food & Wine’ Classic in Charleston
NEED TO KNOW
- Youngest Two-Star Michelin chef E.J. Lagasse expands Emeril’s legacy with modern, Creole-inspired dishes
- Lagasse says working beside his father is his “greatest honor,” shaping both his mentorship and vision for Emeril’s future
- The young star eyes Emeril’s 40th anniversary as the father-son duo’s next milestone, aiming to keep New Orleans cuisine on a global stage
When E.J. Lagasse stepped onto the stage at the 2025 Food & Wine Classic in Charleston on Friday, Nov. 14, joining his father, Emeril Lagasse, for a fireside chat, it was more than a festival appearance. It was a full-circle moment — a literal passing of the torch witnessed by a roomful of cooks, editors, diners and longtime fans who have grown up with the Lagasse name.
For E.J., 22, now the youngest chef ever to lead a two-Michelin-star kitchen, the moment symbolized both where he came from and where he’s determined to go.
“It’s a title of legacy,” he says while speaking exclusively with PEOPLE. “This restaurant has been 35 years in the making. When Michelin came to New Orleans, our goal was to represent the city at the highest level.” He laughs, remembering the shock of learning backstage at the awards ceremony that he held the esteemed title. “I didn’t even know. They told me afterward, and I was like, ‘Oh…okay. That’s cool.'”
Born into a household where food was the family language, E.J. spent his childhood sitting on countertops peeling carrots and wandering the dining room at Emeril’s — the flagship restaurant in New Orleans that would come to define both his father’s career and his own…