Watch an audio slideshow of Emeril Lagasse setting the tone for his three New Orleans' restaurants.

Certain icons make new orleans different. Hot jazz on the street corner. Beignets as light as air, paired with coffee that kicks. Bourbon Street in all its rough-hewn glory. And, of course, Emeril Lagasse.

Twenty-five years after arriving in the Crescent City, the man who practically invented the concept of the celebrity chef is a household name and the head of a culinary empire. Luckily for visitors here, he maintains three restaurants in New Orleans, each with its own identity.

As late-afternoon light slants through the window of Emeril’s Restaurant, Emeril himself sits at a quiet table and talks about his businesses in this city the way a proud father talks about his kids. He describes how this building was a dilapidated warehouse when he bought it. “I would duck my head in here, and I would see the magic of the space,” he says. “This brick warehouse with steel, wood, and concrete was masculine, and it really appealed to me. There was a connection between what I felt my style of food was, who I was and am as a person, and what this space meant.”

Emeril’s Restaurant opened in 1990. Three years later, he debuted NOLA, a funky spot in the French Quarter “doing rustic Acadian Creole with a lot of Vietnamese influences,” he says, as a nod to the fact that he’s had a Vietnamese family working with him “since day one.”

In 1998 Emeril’s Delmonico brought the chef full circle from his days cooking classic cuisine at Commander’s Palace. The original Delmonico’s opened in 1895 in the same building it occupies now. Again, the chef says the space inspired him: “The upstairs parlor was still the owners’ home, and something came out and grabbed me about history and tradition. The lightbulb started going off about my tenure at Commander’s Palace, how that was such grand New Orleans cuisine. Now Emeril’s Delmonico has evolved into being another New Orleans classic.”

Just like the chef himself.

The energetic vibe at NOLA starts before the restaurant opens, when the staff holds its nightly pep rallies.

Eat Emeril Style in New Orleans

Emeril’s Restaurant
The scene: The flagship restaurant exemplifies the chef’s showmanship. From the frenetic brushstrokes of New Orleans artist Doyle Gertjejansen’s painting on one wall to the spice-filled glass panels framing the open kitchen, this place is about high energy. Don’t expect a quiet dinner; do expect fun.
Lagasse’s Lagniappe: “Half the menu changes nightly, based on what’s coming in the back door,” says Emeril. “We get wild chanterelles from across the lake after a big rain; we get soft-shell crabs or soft-shell crawfish or bluefin tuna.”
Our pick: You’ll find Emeril’s signature Barbecue Shrimp at each of his establishments, but this is where it was invented. Plump Gulf shrimp come with a peppery sauce made of an extraction from the shells.

NOLA Restaurant
The scene: Just two blocks from Jackson Square, this spot is the most casual (and touristy) of the three. Exposed brick walls and a glass elevator to the second floor lend a hip vibe to this eatery in the heart of the French Quarter.
Lagasse’s Lagniappe: “People ask, why do you have Vietnamese influences on the menu? Well, about 65% to 75% of our fishing fleet is now Vietnamese. That’s why—because that’s what NOLA stands for. NOLA reflects what’s happening in the state.”
Our pick: The duck confit-and-Parmesan pizza, drizzled with truffle oil and topped with arugula, stood out as one of the best dishes we ate in any of Emeril’s restaurants. Almost sweet, balanced with the earthy flavors of truffles and duck, it packs a surprising flavor.

Emeril’s Delmonico
The scene: The 19th-century building on St. Charles Avenue used to be a private club for gentlemen in New Orleans, complete with a boxing area upstairs. That kind of genteel history still fills the place. Chandeliers, an elegant bar downstairs, and floor-to-ceiling windows create a sense of old-world romanticism.
Lagasse’s Lagniappe: “When we bought Delmonico, I thought about how these classic New Orleans places needed to be preserved, how there were very few of them left—Antoine’s, Galatoire’s, Broussard’s, Delmonico’s, Commander’s Palace. I finally said, ‘You know what? I’m going to bring back as much of the classic New Orleans stuff as I can.’”
Our pick: Just for the pageantry of it, you need to try a Caesar salad prepared tableside. Then sample the duck leg and thigh in a cassoulet of beans, roasted squash, and French sausage. It’s hearty and filling, as are many dishes at Delmonico. But you don’t come to New Orleans to diet, do you?

CORNMEAL CRUSTED OYSTERS WITH BABY SPINACH, WARM BACON DRESSING, AND HOMEMADE POTATO CHIPS (NOLA Restaurant) Recipe courtesy Chef Emeril Lagasse, originally appearing in From Emeril’s Kitchens, WilliamMorrow Publishers, New York, 2003 Makes 4 servings

Warm Bacon Dressing

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the bacon begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the mustard, tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar, and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.

Transfer to a food processor or blender, and puree. With the machine running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream and process until thick. Add the salt and pepper, and pulse once or twice to blend. Serve warm.

Yield: Makes 3/4 cup

CREOLE SEAFOOD COURTBOUILLON
(Emeril’s Delmonico Restaurant)
Recipe courtesy Chef Emeril Lagasse, originally appearing in From Emeril’s Kitchens, WilliamMorrow Publishers, New York, 2003

DIRECTIONS:
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the flour, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon, to make a thick roux almost the color of milk chocolate, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and bay leaves, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Place the tomato paste in a small bowl and whisk in the sherry to blend. Add to the pot, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the stock, whisking to blend. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper, and cook, stirring, occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Season both sides of the redfish fillets, shrimp, and oysters with the Essence.

In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the redfish and shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, then turn and cook for 1 minute. Add the courtbouillon and oysters and cook until the oysters curl, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter bit by bit and stir gently to incorporate.

Divide equally among large soup bowls. Spoon 1/2 cup of rice into the center of each bowl and serve immediately.

Makes 1 1/2 quarts, 6 servings

J.K.’S CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES WITH CHOCOLATE GRAND MARNIER SAUCE (Emeril’s Restaurant, New Orleans) Recipe courtesy Chef Emeril Lagasse, adapted from Emeril’s New New Orleans Cooking, WilliamMorrow Publishers, New York, 1993

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease four 6-ounce souffle dishes or ramekins with the butter and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.

Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water and cook, stirring from time to time, until melted. Remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate one at a time, add the Grand Marnier, and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Fold in the egg whites.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared ramekins, place on a baking sheet, and bake until the soufflés are risen and somewhat firm, 20 to 25 minutes, being careful not to open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of cooking.

To serve, place soufflés on four large dessert plates and sift powdered sugar over the top of each. Break the tops of the soufflés and spoon in the warm Chocolate Grand Marnier Sauce, allowing it to drip over the sides.

Makes 4 servings

Chocolate Grand Marnier Sauce
Makes about 2 cups

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan and scald over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the Grand Marnier.

Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the hot cream mixture and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.