The nationally recognized television personality also has two cooking shows on the Food Network, "Essence of Emeril" and "Emeril Live," which reach more than 85 million homes daily. "Bam!" his signature phrase used whenever he wants to "kick a dish up a notch" by adding some extra seasoning, has become a national catchphrase.

Best known for his New Orleans-influenced cuisine, Lagasse is trained in several cooking disciplines and has honed his craft around the world. He learned the basics of cooking from his mother, Hilda, in his native Massachusetts and began his career as a teenager, working in a Portuguese bakery.

In addition to his 10 restaurants in New Orleans; Las Vegas; Orlando, Fla.; Atlanta; Miami; and Gulfport, Miss., he also founded the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support and encourage programs creating developmental and educational opportunities for children.

Lagasse sat down with In Business recently to talk about his career to this point and what he wants in the future.

You have been in Las Vegas for 13 years. How tough is it to compete here?

You can kind of look at (how I compete) in a couple of ways.

If you want to look at it from a sports perspective, you can look at this year, what the Patriots are doing. If you want to look at it from an automotive perspective, you can look at it as how Porsches have been formulated for so many years.

I'm not really wrapped up in the scene. I'm not really interested in following a bunch of trends, I'm more interested in creating trends. Yet, if that doesn't happen today, I don't pout and shout. It's a huge commitment.

When we came here, we made the commitment to be the best fish restaurant in Las Vegas that we could be. When I told people we were going to build a fish restaurant at the MGM (Grand) in the middle of the desert, they thought we were absolutely insane.

Then when I told people we were going to do the steak restaurant almost 10 years ago, which we're sitting in, they thought we were insane. "What are you talking about, that you're going to wet age, then dry age and have a temperature- and humidity-controlled meat facility with a custom humidity temperature-controlled butcher room?" They looked at me like I was kind of strange.

So the competition right now in Las Vegas is endless, and it's fearless. The reason is that Las Vegas in 10 years has become a food mecca of the world - not just in this country, of the world. You can go to a local Italian joint or a barbecue joint or the ethnic foods that Las Vegas is so known for to the kings (of cuisine in) France, to the best of America. It truly is unbelievable what has happened here.

You're an extremely busy guy, but it's still your name on all of these places. How do you ensure that all of your restaurants throughout the country live up to that name?

Well, it's all about people, and - relating back to a sports team - I'm just the quarterback, and I'm fortunate that I have a lot of people who have been with me a long time - 25-plus years - who are in the organization, who believe in the organization, who contribute to the organization and who basically feel a lot like family. I could give you examples, all the way down the line. It's amazing, it's people believing in a goal - a mission - and wanting to get up and contribute to that and get a little bit better every day.

How much time do you spend here?

I spend a lot of time in Las Vegas because I love Las Vegas. My sister has relocated here in the organization, in the finance department. In 13 years I feel that my wife, my family and I are very lucky. We have really created some incredible relationships. If I could live here, I really would, but unfortunately because of my television schedule in New York and home base in New Orleans, New Orleans is home and New York is home.

What are your favorite places to stay in Las Vegas?

When I'm here, I'm pretty much working. Some people have the luxury of coming here and trying (different properties). I have stayed at other places. I like the MGM. I love the Venetian. I've stayed at the Bellagio and had a romantic weekend some years ago with my wife. There are certain places that we take out-of-town guests ... in Las Vegas for what they add. There's no shortage of options here at all.

How would you describe your cuisine?

I have a lot of influences. I'm American-schooled, I'm classically trained, I'm a pretty universal student, if you will. I have a lot of degrees, which really don't pay the rent. I have two doctorate degrees, I have a bachelor's degree, but I'm still a cook. So my food is Louisiana, New Orleans-based, well-seasoned, rustic. I think it's pretty unique because of my background being influenced by my mom, Portuguese and French Canadian. There's a lot going on there.

What can you tell me about Table 10, your new restaurant at Palazzo?

Table 10 is pretty special to me. At the original Emeril's, now 18 years later, Table 10 was the first table behind the maitre d' stand at the entrance of Emeril's - and still is today, by the way. So after working all day, all night, Table 10 became sort of my sanctuary, if you will. It's where I had dinner every night, where I would mentor people...or not. Where I would write menus, write specials, where I would dream. Where I would write wine menus and taste wine.

Unlike a lot of restaurateurs' sommeliers, whose purveyors come in the middle of the afternoon to taste wine, I can't do that. I have another whole dinner shift that I have to cook behind a hot stove. So that's where I did it and that's where I sort of dreamed about the future. That's where NOLA was discussed and thought about and dreamed about, and Las Vegas, our third restaurant at the MGM, was dreamed about. People were interviewed there. We moved eight people from New Orleans here, and that's where we discussed whether they wanted to make the move, etc.

Table 10 is really the evolution of Emeril and the evolution of Emeril's restaurants for the past 18 years. And some of those key notes from Table 10 are my connection with the soil, not because it's a cool thing right now, because I've been connected for 25 or 30 years with the soil. Whether it's with grapes or hogs or quail (or) sweet corn, Table 10 is going to be about American products. Not necessarily the techniques of strictly American foods, because there are influences in this evolution that really mean something to me. There's a dish on the menu called Miso Cod that's not very American really, but it means something to me.

We have a gigantic rotisserie because I think it's an art form of cooking that has been lost in American cuisine. These days it's much easier to just put up a pizza oven or a panini machine and have everything come out of that.

There's an art, there's a skill to doing rotisserie. We will use American products like Kurobuta pork loins that will be rotisserie. (The dishes are influenced by) people that I have a connection with over the years that have meant something in what they've added to American cuisine. Of course, our philosophy is everything from scratch, so everything from homemade Worcestershire sauce to ice creams will be from scratch. So in a condensed version, that's what Table 10 is.

Is it strictly going to be just American driven? No. But the heavy accents and influences that I think the customer will feel, not only from being in the space and feeling the vibrancy of the space, but the tones and accents of the space will certainly complement the ingredients and techniques of what is my background, which I'm proud to say is American.

Do you think American food has taken its place among the great cuisines of the world?

It has. You know, in 1975 I couldn't get a job in New York City because I was American. The kitchens were predominantly run by French, Swiss, German, and basically, I got laughed at. I had education, I had experience, but got laughed at because I was American. Americans at that time really didn't know anything about cuisine. They knew about hamburgers and hot dogs and macaroni and cheese and really were not even thought of in the world of cuisine.

It kind of bothered me. So I went to France and did a few stagiaires (apprenticeships) there and came back. And all of a sudden, because I did that and could speak very little French, then I could get a job. That aside, I think that, finally, several years ago we have now come to the top where we have as good a food products, we have as great a wines being produced, and we have as great a chefs and restaurateurs in this country now as anyplace in the world.

I'm very proud to be a part of that. I'm proud to be particularly in such a food town as New Orleans that has a 200-year tradition of incredible cuisine - one of the grand cuisines of America. Just to compete in that marketplace is one thing and to be a leader in that marketplace, I'm very proud of that.

How valuable is it to have vehicles like the Food Network and PBS to provide exposure?

Well, as Carol Burnett said, "Exposure, my son, is everything." So I think the Food Network, PBS as well and now for the last several years you've got Bravo, the Discovery Channel, etc.

I think those food programs have brought just incredible awareness to what food really is. Where it comes from, how it's raised.

I just hope that they continue to keep the fun of educating consumers in food and wine and travel and dining and not go off the ladder into this reality thing like the world has gone into. I'm so tired of this reality crap, they ought to come live with me for a day, or you, if they want to know about reality - they don't have to go to Hollywood.

Your signature phrase "Bam!" - where did that come from?

We will begin our 13th year of production of "Essence of Emeril." In the early days of "Essence of Emeril," because of my restaurant schedule, I was shooting eight shows a day, which is unheard of in television. 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.

"Bam!" came from being a food show doing four or five shows, then taking a break, having the crew come back on a very full stomach because we were a food show.

I was losing people. There was no audience, so there's maybe five cameras and a stage manager and me in the studio. All of a sudden after lunch, Camera Two guy is kind of (nodding off). "Bam!" came from, "Oh, I finally got your attention." That's the truth.

Do you still think of yourself as a chef first, or are you more of a celebrity now?

Let's see, I cooked last night and all day yesterday. I cooked the night before at the fish house and the day before that, I cooked here at the steakhouse and then I was at the food show and then I cooked at Emeril's, so I'm just a cook. The whole foundation for me is food.

When you can dream about it and sleep about it and get up about it, my life and my family have just completely evolved about food and the food business. I guess the goal every day is just trying to make people a little bit happier when they leave than when they come in the front door.

Do you reach a point where you feel like you are competing with yourself?

I may feel like that a little bit in New Orleans because we have gone through a severe crisis. We're still in a severe crisis, and people have forgotten about us.

We have a lot of work to do in New Orleans, and when you lose 45 percent of your population and 45 percent of the economic standard and then contribute that to an 80 percent economically of tourism and convention business, then sometimes you feel like you are competing against yourself.

How different is the Las Vegas market than, say, New Orleans?

Every market is different. New York is New York, and Las Vegas is Las Vegas, and Los Angeles is Los Angeles.

What distinguishes Las Vegas?

What's unique about Las Vegas, first of all, is the setting. Secondly, ... the people who live here are pretty unique people. They're really good people. As much as people don't think that Las Vegas is very community driven, it's extremely community driven. Then you add 50 million visitors a year and that's pretty impressive. I mean, who would have ever thought in the middle of the desert, right?

What about the business model? Is there a lot of comp business here?

I am one of very few that is not partners with anybody. Sometimes I guess I wish that I was. Maybe it could be a lot easier if I got 40 comps a night, but we have to get up every day and work very hard at what we're doing because we've got to pay the rent.

I'm not on any percentage, I'm not on any chef fee, and it's none of my business what other people are doing.

If I'm going to do a restaurant, I've got to go to the bank. I've got to make sure the bank is comfortable lending me the money, and I put my ass on the line every single day, whether it's here, New Orleans, wherever it is.

So I don't know an easy way, other than getting up, working hard every day, motivating the staff and trying to do a little bit better than the day before. I'm very fortunate, particularly here in Las Vegas, we have extraordinary people, as I said before, who have been with us for a long time - really dedicated, passionate people running a business. We have some comps, but we don't have as many as we like. Our comps don't go back to the hotel.

You talked about New Orleans and its history. What is it about New Orleans that makes it such a proving ground for chefs?

What chefs have come from New Orleans, besides Paul Prudhomme? There may be a handful. It's going back to what I was saying, you have a place that has 200 years of history. There aren't cities that are 200 years old. You have a cuisine that is 200 years old and when you add the architecture and you add the people and you add the music, there's magic that happens in that bowl of gumbo.

Chef Emeril Lagasse is shown during an interview at Delmonico Steahouse at th Venetian on Jan. 17. PHOTO BY LEILA NAVIDI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

So who are your influences?

My mom, my family, my staff. I have some chef colleagues that I truly believe are sincere...I don't want to say mentors. You know, Ella Brennan (the legendary chef, known as the "Queen of Creole") is a mentor. Mario Batali is a colleague and a dear friend and a great chef who I get inspired by. Charlie Trotter is a dear friend and a great chef who I get inspired by. Wolfgang Puck is a great friend who I get inspired by when we sit in a room or drink a cup of coffee or talk on the phone.

I could continue down the line, but every one of those people really has a passion for food. They have a passion for this business, and they have a passion for people. If you don't have a passion for people, you can't be anything in this business. You really have to like people.

Is that the great thing about food? All the people you mentioned are great, but no cuisine is like any other, but they are all great chefs?

Absolutely!

What do you like to eat?

My mode kind of changes daily, I'm a very seasonal kind of guy. I guess it goes back to Table 10. It kind of goes back to my passion and love for the soil. If I wasn't doing what I'm doing, I'd probably be a farmer or a grower, or whatever the cool name is. That's probably what I would be doing.

What's next for you?

Next for me is really and truly to successfully open Table 10. I've been working extremely hard on rebuilding New Orleans. I'm extremely involved with bettering the life for young children with my foundation. We have a lot of projects that we're working on, really good projects. Why doesn't anybody take the time to write good stuff. Why's it all got to be BS? You know, that's what I ask myself.

A reporter loves to hear that at the end of an interview.

No, I'm just saying, in general, nobody wants to ask me why I'm spending $500,000 to build a culinary center to get kids off the street so they are not murdering each other and doing drugs in the alley. Nobody asks me those questions. Nobody asks me why I'm building a kitchen at St. Michael's Special School that's costing me $250,000 so that mentally retarded children can do something with their lives. Nobody asks me those kind of questions.

I'll ask you. Why?

I don't know why. I'm asking you.

There's got to be a motivation for that. Is there a story behind it?

There's probably dozens. Probably it's a boring story.

There's no such thing as a boring story. You wanted me to ask.

I'm going through an evolution right now in television. After 11 years of producing "Emeril Live," the production of "Emeril Live" has gotten canceled. I'm still on television, I'm still with the Food Network, but I'm also in a very positive frame of mind about the evolution of what I'm going to do in television. I'm working on some new cool stuff with that. I don't have any new restaurants on the drawing board. My focus really is Table 10 right now and the rebuilding of New Orleans. What's next is seeing my kids starting school. That's a pretty cool thing. This is the second time for me. So it's a really cool thing for me learning about "Star Wars" and Darth Vader again, and baseball and doll houses.

Tell me a little bit about the foundation.

I founded the Emeril Lagasse Foundation in 2002 to help enrich the lives of young people through the creative art of cooking so that they can look toward a future of creativity, opportunity and hope. Based on the core values of the hospitality business - education, mentorship, passion, creativity, self-discipline and pride - it is my hope that the foundation will leave a legacy for future chefs to be inspired for years to come. ?

What's next for the foundation?

Each fall, we host a fundraiser, Carnivale du Vin, which is a premiere wine and food event to benefit the children of the New Orleans area. We recently announced plans for the future Emeril Lagasse Culinary Learning Center at Cafe Reconcile in New Orleans. Located in Central City, Cafe Reconcile is an eatery where at-risk youth gain social skills and hospitality experience by working in the business. The center will help advance Reconcile's mission by providing a space for students to gain more in-depth culinary knowledge and help foster positive community spirit.

Well, let me ask you this. When the restaurants are done and you're sitting back on your porch, retired, what do you want your legacy to be?

I don't know if it's any one thing. I guess everybody has different meaning. I guess the end result is that maybe people would say, "You know, he was a fair guy, he was a great guy, he was a great cook and he really cared about the planet." Because, you know, if you don't give back, how is it going to evolve?

Mark Hansel covers real estate and retail for In Business Las Vegas and its sister publication, the Las Vegas Sun. He can be reached at 259-4069 or at mark.hansel@lasvegassun.com