Emeril Lagasse

“Scatter soaked hardwood chunks over your coals for a quick and easy way to add a smoky nuance to your grilled foods.”

“I respected it. I submerged myself into it. So on a lot of days off I would go and fish with the fishermen and the families that ran the boats. I would go work the fields with farmers. I would go and talk with farmers about growing particular products for me.”

“I grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts. My background was modest, and I worked at a Portuguese bakery in town.”

“Music is one of those things that is constantly going in my head all the time. It's sort of like the evolution and creation of doing food, or my philosophy about wine. It's always beating in my head, so it keeps the spirit moving.”

“Being a food show and being me, I always kicked it up a notch, which means I would always elevate the spice level or the complexity of a particular dish. So, it was always like we're going to kick this up a little bit.”

“I think all kids need snacks. Mine are fruit machines. I give them things like apple slices, berries and melon. Do I let them eat ice cream? Absolutely. But not every day.”

“I'm pretty actively involved with the military because I think they're incredible human beings. If I can give back to them for what they're doing for us, it's a good thing. And I think to have happy soldiers, you need to feed them well.”

“My favorite Aspen memory is saving an upside-down cake that had exploded from the high altitude.”

“I don't limit myself.”

“We're setting up an urban farm for kids on more than 20 acres in New Orleans. We want to make this a world-class educational center for the community.”

“My family... always had the value of the family table and these cultural influences of growing up.”

“I launched The Emeril Lagasse Foundation to provide culinary training, and developmental and educational programs to children in the cities where my restaurants operate. I think everyone has a responsibility to give back to the community if they can, and to help future generations learn new skills.”

“A lot of parents ask me how to get kids to eat more vegetables. The first thing I say is that it starts from the top.”

“I think you have to be careful with spices. Kids' palates can be very delicate, and they might not like things overspiced. In my cookbooks for kids, I do a milder version of my signature spice blend, Emeril's Essence, called Baby Bam, which has no cayenne pepper.”

“I think many cooks are afraid of undercooked meats. A good thermometer is a cook's best friend.”

“When I first decided to open a restaurant, I was turned down by several banks. It was the late 80's and many restaurants were failing. I refused to give up because I knew I had a good concept.”

“Cleanliness is very important. If you let kids make a total mess in the kitchen and then leave, you're not really teaching them anything.”

“I spent a lot of time on farms when I was young. My uncle and my dad owned a big farm.”

“When I cook with my son, I might chop vegetables and have fun with different shapes. Cooking is a way to teach kids about other things, like reading or math with all of the weights and measures. There are so many things that are part of cooking that are also very educational.”

“Soups are a great way to introduce a lot of vegetables to kids. Stir-fries, too, because they contain so many different shapes and colors.”