E.J. Lagasse nominated

E.J. Lagasse has been named a 2026 James Beard Award finalist for Best Emerging Chef for his work at Emeril’s in New Orleans. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation announced the nominees on March 31, 2026, and listed Lagasse alongside Fátima Juárez of Komal in Los Angeles, Rasheeda Purdie of Ramen by Ra in New York, Bailey Sullivan of Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago, and Adrian Torres of Maximo in West University Place, Texas. Winners are scheduled to be announced on June 15, 2026, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (jamesbeard.org) Lagasse had already appeared on the James Beard Foundation’s semifinalist list released on January 21, 2026, before advancing to the final five in the Emerging Chef category. The foundation says its Restaurant and Chef Awards date to 1990. (jamesbeard.org) The nomination comes as Lagasse is running Emeril’s as chef and co-owner in New Orleans, part of a generational handoff at one of the city’s best-known dining rooms. Emeril’s official team page lists him as chef and co-owner, while the restaurant’s history page says he returned to New Orleans after graduating from Johnson & Wales in 2021 and working in New York, London, and Stockholm. (emerilsrestaurant.com 1) (emerilsrestaurant.com 2) Lagasse’s profile has risen quickly in the past year. The Michelin Guide said in November 2025 that Emeril’s earned two Michelin stars in the inaugural American South guide and that Lagasse also received the 2025 Young Chef Award. (guide.michelin.com) That Michelin recognition put Emeril’s in rare company in the region. New Orleans CityBusiness reported that Emeril’s was the only restaurant to receive two Michelin stars in the inaugural 2025 American South guide. (neworleanscitybusiness.com) Lagasse was also part of a separate Portuguese-focused project with his father, 34 Restaurant & Bar, which opened in New Orleans in fall 2024. New Orleans CityBusiness reported that the restaurant closed on January 31, 2026, after the Emeril Group cited rising operating costs. (neworleanscitybusiness.com) The same report said 34 was built around the Lagasse family’s Portuguese heritage and served dishes including bacalao, rice platters, and Portuguese wines. The Emeril Group said at the time that staff would be offered jobs at other company restaurants and that a reopening or relocation remained possible. (neworleanscitybusiness.com) For Lagasse, the James Beard nomination now lands on top of a year that already included a two-star Michelin result, a Young Chef award, and a return to the flagship restaurant that carries his family name. The next date on that run is June 15 in Chicago. (guide.michelin.com) (jamesbeard.org)