Emeril Lagasse is the chef-proprietor of 12 restaurants across the country. He has received numerous Best Restaurant, Best Chef, and Best Service awards, and in 2013 received the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the James Beard Foundation for his work through the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which supports children's educational programs. The author of 18 cookbooks, his phenomenally successful Food Network show Emeril Live! launched a new era in culinary TV. In 2014, Lagasse participated in his third consecutive season as a main guest chef on Bravo's hit food series, "Top Chef," and joined TNT as co-host for their cooking series, On the Menu. Most recently, "Emeril's Florida" entered its third season in January 2015 on the Cooking Channel. Born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts, he is a graduate of Johnson & Wales.