Gallery • 3 Photos

Photo Courtesy of Lina Barakat

Chef Emeril Lagasse speaks to one of the directors of the event. Lagasse was named the 2013 ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ for his efforts furthering culinary arts.

Bowie Culinary students, Lina Barakat and Angel Reyes had the opportunity to meet chef Emeril Lagasse. He is an American celebrity chef and restaurateur who has one of the most famous personalities on TV.

He is well known for his catchphrase on Food Network, “BAM!”

“Chef always gets these sorts of things, and brings it to us,” Barakat said. “He brought that and opened it up to all of us, even the second years saying that anyone could enter.”

Celebrity chef Lagasse is known for ‘Emeril Live’ on the Food Network. Since his first job in a bakery, Lagasse has hosted TV shows, opened up restaurants, and has become one of the most recognizable chefs of all time.

In 2013, Emeril was honored as James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year. Chef Lagasse received his first experience in the culinary arts from his mother, Hilda Lagasse.

Growing up, Lagasse worked at a Portuguese bakery, where he mastered the art of bread and pastry baking. Lagasse traveled to Paris to perfect his skills and learned the beautiful art of Classic French cuisine. Lagasse joined the Martha Stewart family of brands in 2008, which skyrocketed Lagasse’s media and merchandising business. Lagasse’s restaurant company and home base is located in New Orleans.

“My mom and I would watch Food Network before anyone woke up,” Reyes said. “On ‘Emeril Live,’ he had a live studio audience, and that was what inspired me to get a cute little toy kitchen play set.”

Barakat also had a toy kitchen growing up and would put on shows for her family. “I would put it in front of my parents and would do the show kind of like how he would do it, so yes, I am a fan,” Barakat said.

While Barakat is a true fan of Chef Lagasse, and has been since the beginning of her childhood growing up, Reyes didn’t really know of him through culinary, but through his foundation, The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, also known as ELF, which was established in 2002.

ELF is an organization and educational initiative that creates new opportunities for children, mostly pointed towards children that have disadvantaged circumstances, just so these kids may realize the true potential they have. It is for creative individuals to make a lasting impact on their lives.

ELF has distributed $6 million into children’s charities and is also involved in teaching special needs students at Edible Schoolyard New Orleans on how to properly handle their projects in their outdoor classroom and garden, which were all funded by ELF.

As the students met with the famous chef, they asked him several questions about his career and success.

“We got to tour the Springdale farm, where we had the meet up and toured with him,” Barakat said. “Afterwards, he had a little Q&A for each of the people who had won. Then he did a little book signing for us before he left. It was a bit short but it was very fun.”

Barakat believes that Lagasse and her share the same drive and the belief that if you are going to do something, you have to give it your all. The students asked the chef about the lessons he has learned along his journey to fame.

“Putting your all into whatever you really want to do in order to be successful is necessary,” Lagasse said. “The best way to succeed is to listen to the people around you, who will help you learn and grow as a person.”

Reyes learned from Lagasse about how to be successful and how to enjoy the journey there. These culinary students met with a famous celebrity chef that gave them advice on their future careers and their lives.

“I would have to say my favorite part about meeting Emeril was actually getting to see him in person,” Barakat said. “For years I watched him on TV, but there’s something about seeing him in the flesh.”