"Great things are on the way!"

Chef Emeril Lagasse has long held the secret sauce for success, having become one of the world's most beloved culinary icons of our time through talent, grit and a little BAM! But after COVID forced him to shutter eight restaurants, that shifted. Here, how hard times reminded him that love and a good meal are the recipe for joy

- Deborah Evans Price

For chef Emeril Lagasse, food and family have always gone hand in hand. And this Father's Day, the 63-year-old father of four and grandfather of three is looking forward to celebrating with his own dad. "I have to work, so ending the day with a glass of wine and a simple meal together will be perfect," Emeril tells Woman's World. "I'm blessed to be able to spend every day with my father, Emeril John Lagasse Jr. he's 94 years old and still opens the restaurant for me. He inspires me and, hey, I'm just blessed he's still here."

Emeril is also delighted that his son, Emeril John Lagasse IV, aka EJ, has followed in his footsteps and is now a chef at Emeril's, the flagship restaurant in New Orleans. Together, the duo is excited to soon be opening a new Portuguese-inspired eatery, also in The Big Easy.

"We have such a great relationship, which is a blessing," Emeril explains with a smile. "We collaborate well together and we both have a lot of Portuguese in our blood, so when we open our new place, I know we'll do it right!"

Still, like many in the culinary business, Emeril has faced his share of storms. "We've been through tough times, with Hurricane Katrina and then COVID," he says. "We were forced to close eight restaurants, and unfortunately, we had to let a lot of people go."