SOUTH WALTON – The James Beard Foundation has been awarding the culinary industry’s best of the best since 1990. James Beard, host of the first-ever television cooking program “I Love to Eat,” was a prolific recipe-writer and author, and considered to be the father of the modern era of “celebrity chefs.”
Often referred to as “the Oscars of the food world,” Beard’s namesake prize has honored the likes of Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Jose Andrés, and Bobby Flay, to name a few. Although many of the prizes go to innovators in the big cities like Chicago and New York, the emerging culinary mecca of South Walton certainly has drawn the foundation’s attention.
Emeril Lagasse
Media and retail giant Emeril Lagasse, whose empire includes Emeril’s Coastal in Grand Boulevard, has racked up 19 nominations over his career, including wins for Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America (1989), Best Chefs in America (1991), and Humanitarian of the Year (2013).
“Every day we do our best to improve and learn from each other and others in our industry and it’s always an honor to be recognized for what my team and I work so hard to achieve,” Lagasse said.
It’s not uncommon to see Emeril behind the line at the Sandestin destination – his newest spot – as he calls Miramar Beach home while traveling between his other restaurants Emeril’s and Meril in New Orleans and Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House and Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas.
Lagasse’s philanthropic endeavors are well known, as The Emeril Lagasse Foundation has raised millions for various children’s charities since 2002, and he was a major benefactor of the local Seaside Neighborhood School, where his two youngest children attended.
Hugh Acheson
Hugh Acheson
Famed Canadian-turned-Southerner Chef Hugh Acheson, who brought his talents crafting the menu to Ovide in Sandestin’s Hotel Effie in early 2021, has garnered himself 14 nominations, including wins for Best Chef: Southeast (2012) and American Cooking – Book (2012) for “A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen.” Acheson’s resume also includes time spent as a judge on the reality cooking TV show “Top Chef” and as an Iron Chef on “Iron Chef Canada.”
Acheson hosts the occasional dinner at the sleek Sandestin restaurant, including a five-course menu with wine pairings, and a book-signing and champagne reception last summer.
Acheson also owns Five & Ten, opened in Athens, Ga., in 2000, and Empire State South in Atlanta, opened in 2010.
John Currence
John Currence
Fellow Southern Chef and cookbook author John Currence has won favor with the foundation half a dozen times, including Best Chef: South (2009) for his Oxford, Miss., restaurant City Grocery. He set up shop on the Emerald Coast in 2017 with Florida’s first Big Bad Breakfast in Inlet Beach. Following the success of the brunch house, Currence adding a second location in Miramar Beach, located in front of the Silver Sands Premium Outlet complex.
He has a collection of dining spots in Oxford, including City Grocery, Bourè, Snackbar, and the flagship Big Bad Breakfast, which has also expanded into Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
You might have seen Currence on any number of cooking shows like Top Chef Masters, Bizzarre Foods, and No Reservations: Parts Unknown.
Not to be overlooked
The foundation does not overlook bakers, either. Chef Deb Swenerton earned herself a nomination for Outstanding Baker in 2019 during her tenure with Black Bear Bread Co.
“I never thought anything like that would happen,” Swenerton said after learning of the nomination.
Swenerton’s breads and pastries helped the local bakery grow since its founding in 2016, now boasting a trio of locations in Grayton Beach, Seaside and Grand Boulevard.
Local restaurateur Chef Jim Shirley has been honored to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in Manhattan, a center for the culinary arts maintained by the JBF. The owner of local eateries Great Southern Café, The Bay, Farm & Fire, North Beach Social, The Chicken Shack, C-Bar, b.f.f. and The Meltdown on 30A, has graced the legendary kitchen half a dozen times, bringing his signature Southern dish Grits a Ya Ya to the Big Apple.
That’s a lot of award-winning talent for one town; go out and taste it all!
MIRAMAR BEACH – Anniversaries, business meetings, Girls Nights Out, birthdays, or any day ending in Y, Emeril’s Coastal has a dish or drink for that. Though the dining is elegant, the dress code is casual, and celebrity chef/owner Emeril Lagasse and his staff have something to offer for every occasion.
“We’re all over!” said Coastal’s new Chef de Cuisine Tommy Wachter. “If you want to come in and have a drink at the bar with a snack, or if you want to do a real special occasion, we can do that, too. I think that’s something that makes us pretty unique.”
From a burger to brunch to world-renowned Japanese A5 beef, Lagasse has always prided himself on featuring the freshest ingredients, and changes up the menus seasonally to ensure that gold standard is maintained. That often includes freshly caught seafood from the Gulf.
He’s even branched out into the world of caviar.
“We’re super excited to partner with Paramount Caviar for my own caviar collection that we are serving in my restaurants,” Lagasse explained. “Emeril’s Coastal is the only place in Florida that it is available.”
Wachter, who started his career with the Emeril’s culinary team in 2007, and Sous Chef Dawn Sabbath collaborate to come up with tasting menus and specials for their Blackboard Fish – two or three different kinds of fresh fish available grilled, cast ironed or fried.
Lagasse said he has been impressed with his new chef de cuisine, who started in the role back in July.
“Chef Tommy is doing great things at Coastal,” Lagasse said. “I really enjoy working closely with him in this role and his creativity and the spin that he puts on some of my classic dishes is impressive. Our Sous Chef Dawn is super creative and her and Tommy together are bringing magic to the party!”
The new chef also introduced a yellowfin tuna poke bowl to the menu.
“It’s a really good seller: sushi rice, spicy mayo – and we only use the freshest Gulf tuna that we can get,” Wachter said, also pointing out the new crispy duck wings. “You don’t see duck wings around here a lot. Whenever people try them, they’re blown away, it’s so tender. They’re a little spicy, a little sticky, a good bar snack.”
Of course you’ll still find old Coastal favorites on the menu, including the Fettuccine Nero, pineapple upside-down cornbread, and his legendary olive oil cake with salted caramel and mascarpone.
If your time at Coastal happens to be on a weekend, Lagasse is very proud of their Sunday Jazz Brunch.
“It’s a whole vibe in itself,” he said. “We have a lot of locals that come every Sunday to celebrate with us. It’s always a fun time and of course the food and cocktails can’t be beat.”
Chilaquiles are a zesty addition to the brunch menu.
He recommended the Bob Doyle’s Crab Cake Benedict – served alongside poached eggs, shoestring potatoes and hollandaise – or the chilaquiles off that special menu. The latter incorporates tortilla chips, chorizo salsa, and pickled shishito peppers with queso fresco.
Speaking of those cocktails, in-house Sommelier Doruk Gurunlu and team have kept the bar program evolving with industry trends and tastes.
“The beverage program at Emeril’s Coastal is incredible,” Lagasse admitted. “The Kait Special is an ever-changing feature of our cocktail menu by Kait, our lead mixologist, who is always creating delicious cocktails with the freshest ingredients. The wine program is also unbelievable.”
How unbelievable? While there are several approachable bottles on the wine list, those celebrating extra special occasions might select the $850-a-bottle Vincent Girardin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru or the $395 bottle of Dun Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2016!
SANDESTIN – With a dining empire to run, Chef Emeril Lagasse relies on Chef de Cuisine Frank Szymanski to hold down the fort at Emeril’s Coastal. Chef Frank stepped out of the kitchen long enough to grab a cup of coffee and answer a few questions.
Chef Frank Szymanski
You’ve been at Coastal almost five years now. Share your resume.
I had previously been the chef de cuisine out of the company as well as sous chef for Chef Emeril at NOLA and Emeril’s Gulf Coast Fish House that was in Gulfport, Miss. I had history with Emeril’s, so when I found out they were doing something in this area, I was pretty excited to come down here. I no longer wished to live in New Orleans, and when I heard they were doing something by the beach, I said, ‘I’m in!’ ‘Do you want to know what it is?’ ‘Nope! As long as I’m at the beach!’
What sent you on the road to a culinary career?
I turn 40 this year. I started cooking almost 26 years ago, and people ask how that’s possible, and I say it’s because I started when I was 14. I had a job at a little mom and pop place in Pass Christian, Miss., and they paid me in a little bit of money and lot of food, and that’s how they got around the rules for the first year. You can’t get around that nowadays. We’ve had some younger staff and you have to give them certain breaks and there are things they can’t do, and I think, ‘When I was 14, they had me on the slicer, everything dangerous I could do, I was doing.’
I was a marine biology major years ago and made the transition. I was a chef at a restaurant in Gulfport, Miss., going to USM, when Katrina hit. No school, no job, everything kind of started over. I was in my 20s, almost done with my degree, and I said, ‘I’m going to go to culinary school’ and I went to Johnson & Wales.
Describe your culinary inspiration
I’m from Long Beach, Miss., spent a lot of time in New Orleans – both eating and working – so that’s played a very strong influence in the way I cook. I love Southern food, taking comfort foods and making them a little more refined, but where they still invoke a memory. I love when you eat something, smell something, and it produces a memory. I strive for that.
What is it like to lead an Emeril Lagasse kitchen?
A lot of people ask if it’s stressful working for Chef Emeril, and the answer’s no. It’s exciting. He gives me the opportunity to do what I want, as he does with all his chefs at his different restaurants. We want to make each restaurant different and put our own personal touch on it, so he allows us to have creative freedom. We’re special here because he’s here all the time since he lives here, and it’s a help. His knowledge, the way he teaches the cooks, it’s so nice having him in the house. The cooks actually miss him when he’s not here. The vibe is a little different when he’s in the house, the customers are excited because they can see him. But we work like he’s here no matter what.
What does a typical day look like?
For a restaurant that only does dinner and Sunday brunch, we’re here a long time before the doors ever open. Usually I open at 7 a.m., we start checking in orders, I talk to seafood purveyors and they tell me what they’ve got coming in. I look at the books for the night to see how many customers we have coming in and start creating the menu for the night. We do a lot of whole fish preparations and that’s a fun thing for me in the morning, to find the fish that I’m going to serve that night.
After that, I walk around tasting things. Once we get through the morning, the cooks start coming in between 1 and 2, setting up their stations, getting their mise en place together. Sous Chef Tommy Wachter and I start deciding who’s going to make what that night and go over it with the cooks. Usually Tommy, myself or Chef Emeril will make the specials with them, walk them through the dish, so when it’s service time, they’re ready. I’m so lucky to have the staff that I have. Since we’ve re-opened, we’ve retained most of our staff, which is tough to do in this environment. Whether we’re short-handed or not, they get the job done every day.
We have a fairly short service, we open at 4:30 and go until 9, 9:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. We’re busy enough that even seating at 9:30, we’re still cooking until 10:30 every night. In the summertime we get out of here at 1 in the morning and we do it all again the next day. A typical day here is pretty long, but we all have each other’s backs. On a normal dinner shift, we’ll have 12 people in the kitchen, plus Chef Tommy and myself. That goes up in the summertime. We’re a pretty tight-knit crew and it takes a lot to produce the kind of food we’re producing.
Tell us about your namesake dish, Frank’s Honey Butter Fried Chicken.
When I’m off work, I eat a lot of simple foods: tacos, pizza, fried chicken. A few years ago, a table asked me to make fried chicken, so I did and they loved it. They asked for it again, then another table, and it became this thing if you called a day ahead, you could get Frank’s fried chicken. During truffle season, I’d come out and shave truffles on it, and it became this very special thing. At least once or twice a week, someone was coming in for it, and we’d do different sides with it, just having fun with it.
When we re-opened and were trying to come up with a chicken dish, Chef Emeril said, ‘Just do your fried chicken! It will give people from out of town the opportunity to get it.’ We started and it sells very well. We do a 24-hour brine with a buttermilk wash with a ‘very secret’ spice blend in the flour. We drizzle a little honey butter on the top, and if someone wants truffles, we’ll do that too. It’s pretty yummy.
What is your favorite thing on the menu to cook?
That’s tough. It’s whatever I’m cooking at the moment, but I get excited about our fish dishes. We always have at least three Gulf fish that we can do different preparations: a grouper, snapper, swordfish, cobia, wahoo done broiled, seared in a cast iron skillet, grilled, fried. Each one has different sets with sauces and sides. I get excited changing up the sets, like a grilled set with a salsa verde with capers and soft herbs, local vegetables and a saffron orzo. The fish are the same year-round, but switching things up because of the season, when it’s cold outside some Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes or parsnips, those are exciting changes.
How was Emeril’s Carnivale du Vin in November?
All Emeril’s chefs from around the country go each year. In 2020 with Covid, we did a virtual event, and it just wasn’t the same, so this was the first year back. I had fun. I bought a beautiful 130-pound bluefin tuna loin, Osetra caviar, sea urchin, and made lobster oil with tarragon and smoked paprika, micro pickled vegetables. It was a very, very good dish and represented what we do here: super-fresh uni, beautiful caviar, a beautiful piece of fish. I don’t want to smother things with cream sauces – I love butter, it has its place – but we want to let the seafood speak for itself.
What do you like to do on your day off?
I love to fish, believe it or not. A lot of the fish we serve here are fish I like to catch in my own time. I try to get out 10, 15 times a year, at least. I grew up fishing on the Gulf Coast, I did a lot of in-shore fishing. As I got older, I started making more trips off-shore. Anything I can do that involves water, I’m in.
Other than that, I love movies. I was excited when the theater next door opened back up. A lot of times if I open and I get to sneak out of here at a decent hour, I’ll run next door and watch a movie. I love to read, but I try to do as much outdoor stuff as I can because I’m inside here so much.
SANDESTIN – Since opening nearly five years ago, Chef Emeril Lagasse’s Sandestin restaurant has rolled with the tide, you might say. When the world-famous chef made the decision to temporarily close the doors to all his restaurants during the thick of the pandemic, he and his staff used that time to rework and re-imagine. The former Emeril’s Coastal Italian became Emeril’s Coastal, they switched to a dinner service with Sunday brunch, and the tastes of the sea became the kitchen’s main focus.
“We have always wanted to be seafood-centric at Coastal,” Lagasse explained. “The pandemic gave us an opportunity to regroup and rethink the menu, dropping the ‘Italian’ and focusing more on the advantages of being on the coast with the Gulf of Mexico in our backyard.”
With Lagasse and his chef de cuisine Frank Szymanski both being coastal kids by birth, and with a gulf full of fresh seafood at their disposal, the transition was a natural one.
“We have the opportunity to create dishes with the freshest seafood available and Chef Frank has done an incredible job with the seafood concept and seafood specials. When you dine at Emeril’s Coastal, you are going to have ‘a seafood experience,’ enjoying the freshest and most creative seafood dishes,” he said. “The guests have given very positive feedback.”
Nightly specials include a fresh catch like snapper, grouper or swordfish.
Both chefs are proud of their whole fish preparations, which are as much a feast for the eyes as the palate. Lagasse also pointed to the nightly special blackboard – which features a fresh catch like snapper, grouper or swordfish – and Bob Doyle’s Maryland Style Crab Cake, served with lemon butter and shoestring potatoes.
“We try to keep our menu pretty seasonal and our menu constantly evolves from one week to another,” explained Szymanski. “We print menus in-house so if mussels aren’t available, for example, we’ll do a dish with clams instead. We have so many repeat customers and they don’t want to eat the same thing every time, so we’ve got to keep it moving.”
Although there is a fine dining vibe at Coastal, they don’t take themselves too seriously. Halloween saw the waitstaff dressed in costumes, and special occasions are celebrated with freshly spun cotton candy and a festive flair.
Oysters are served your choice of three ways.
Platters of oysters are celebrated three ways: raw with mignonette, chargrilled with Parmesan or baked with brie and bacon, or enjoy them over house-made spaghetti with garlic and cream.
“My team and I work hard every day to be the best restaurant with the freshest product,” Lagasse said. “We have some amazing local purveyors who provide us with the best seafood to provide our customers an experience that we are proud of.”
Those with a hearty appetite can tuck into the 22-ounce bone-in prime ribeye, or for lighter fare, EJ’s Chop Salad with avocado, sweet corn and bacon is named for the famed chef’s son, EJ, currently studying to be a chef himself.
Salmon bagel, anyone?
The party continues behind the bar, featuring house-made extracts and specialty cocktails. The staff is poppin’ bottles during Sunday brunch, including bottomless mimosas, frozen Lushies, alongside midday nosh favorites like Meril’s Eggs Benedict, lobster Benedict or the fried oyster omelet.
A special take-out menu allows diners to enjoy the tastes of Coastal on the go, including apps, entrees, sides, a kid’s menu and desserts.
Life outside the kitchen
Lagasse is certainly known for more than the plates of food he produces; he’s a philanthropist at heart.
“This year, we are celebrating 20 years of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation,” he added. “We are looking forward to continuing to provide capital and programmatic support to organizations across the nation through our Community Grants Program and our signature program, Emeril’s Culinary Garden and Teaching Kitchen.”
After missing out on several of their live events last year, Lagasse and his wife Alden were thrilled to be able to get back to the business of charity. The Carnivale du Vin returned in November in New Orleans; the Line, Vine & Dine in Fort Lauderdale in February; with more events populating the famous chef’s upcoming calendar.
“Alden and I are looking forward to coming back together in person for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Spring fundraising events like the Chi Chi Miguel Fundraising Weekend here in Santa Rosa Beach,” he said. “Line, Vine & Dine and Chi Chi Miguel support incredible local charities in the Florida communities and we are so grateful for the continued generosity of the donors, sponsors and friends who make them possible.”
In between events and trips to check in on his eight other restaurants, look for Lagasse, Szymanski and their team on the line at Coastal, serving up that fresh coastal fare!
Emeril’s Coastal is located at 435 Grand Boulevard in Miramar Beach. Open 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and for Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are accepted; visit them online at www.emerilsrestaurants.com or call 850-608-7040.
SANDESTIN – Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention. Such was the case with Emeril Lagasse’s newest restaurant right here on the Emerald Coast. While the pandemic forced the temporary closure of Emeril’s Coastal Italian last summer, he and his staff were busy re-imagining the Grand Boulevard eatery.
When the doors reopened in August, guests found a revamped dining room and a new menu, with a renewed focus on seafood. Lagasse and his chef de cuisine, Frank Szymanski, let the ingredients take the lead, creating dishes they themselves want to eat.
“I have always loved seafood and have a connection to cooking with seafood since I was a kid,” Lagasse admitted. “I’ve always felt the food tastes better when you have a connection and appreciation for the ingredients.”
With the Gulf Coast in their backyard, their list of potential local suppliers is as impressive as it was extensive – something Lagasse has believed in throughout his career.
“There are so many hard-working and reliable local purveyors who source these ingredients with care and attention, and I wanted to support what they are doing because it’s so important,” he said. “We are lucky to have such fresh seafood and vegetation in our area that it would be foolish not to use what’s right here and available to us.”
New to the table
So what might you find on the menu at Emeril’s Coastal? Chef pointed out the Fresh Catch section as a fine example of the local seafood his team brings in daily.
“You can get your fish prepared one of four ways: Grilled with sea salt, lemon-garlic infused olive oil and local root vegetables; fried with cocktail sauces, tartar and blue crab hushpuppies; broiled with lemon, fumet butter and bay laurel; or cast-iron preparation with essence, Creole meuniere and a cheddar grit cake,” he explained.
He also recommends the miso orange-glazed wild caught salmon.
“It has some international flavors to accompany it, including my daughter’s Kimchi which she and her husband Andy make locally, and it’s so good,” Lagasse added.
Hometown foodies might recognize other local purveyors including Black Bear Bread Co. of Grayton Beach, Shane Cochran Honey from Santa Rosa Beach, and Louisiana Lagniappe Inc. and Destin Ice Seafood Market in Destin.
Coastal fans will still find some old favorites on the revised menu, including the Fettuccine Nero, Pineapple Upside-down Cornbread, house-made ice creams and sorbets, and the fabled Olive Oil Cake.
Lagasse and Szymanski like to switch things up from time to time with their seasonal meals. 2020 saw the return of their eight-course Feast of the Seven Fishes, Trufflemania, A Night in France, and A Night in Portugal, in addition to holiday meals and nightly specials.
An extensive wine list joins the Dessert Cocktails and Nightcaps menus, ensuring you have a beverage to pair with every plate. From the Grown Up Abita Root Beer Float, to a 1.5-ounce pour of Remy Martin Louis XIII or a bottle of Colgin IX Estate ‘14, there’s something to suit every palate.
Seaside inspiration
In addition to outfitting the kitchen with some new equipment to support the menu adjustments, the dining room itself saw a refresh as well. Lagasse capitalized on this opportunity to do a housekeeping and renovation project.
“My wife Alden helped with switching out some of the art to reflect a more seafood-driven motif,” Lagasse said. “We love the space and didn’t want to change much, just made tweaks and got to do some projects that are difficult to execute.”
The adjoining outdoor patio has proved even more popular than normal since the reopening. The space is outfitted with fans, umbrellas, misters, and heaters.
On occasion, you might even see Lagasse’s son EJ behind the pass, home from culinary school at his father’s alma mater, Johnson and Wales. Lagasse insists he never pushed his son into the industry, but is proud to see him working hard at ensuring the family’s dining empire has a long and delectable future ahead.
Emeril’s Coastal is located at 435 Grand Boulevard, Miramar Beach, and is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday (9:30 on Friday and Saturday), and Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reach them by phone at 850-608-7040, or visit emerilsrestaurants.com/emerils-coastal/
By now we hope you have registered each day for your chance to win the grand prize bag of Santa’s goodies. The 2017 Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaway is in full swing. We have highlighted some of our favorite wines, restaurants and profiled some of the hottest food and wine events here on the Emerald Coast.
Don’t forget you can register once a day until the end of Tuesday December 5th.
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Alright time for Day 10 in the 2017 Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaway.
One of the world’s most recognizable chefs just recently opened his newest restaurant right here in South Walton. Emeril’s Coastal Italian opened its doors at Grand Boulevard to rave reviews in late summer 2017. On any given day, guests may catch a glimpse of Chef Lagasse working the kitchen and working with his team.
Essential Emeril by Emeril Lagasse
For Day 10 in our Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway, we teamed up with chef Emeril Lagasse to highlight his latest cookbook, Essential Emeril. And even better…he signed a copy for our lucky grand prize winner.
From the book release:
“Emeril Lagasse is a culinary legend. One of the original Food Network stars, he has hosted numerous television shows, opened 12 restaurants, and become one of the most beloved personalities in the industry today, inspiring millions of fans with his great passion for food.
In Essential Emeril, the iconic chef goes back to basics, presenting more than 130 recipes that defined his award-winning career, each tested and perfected for today’s home cook. Dishes such as Crab and Corn Fritters with Fresh Corn Mayo, Roasted Portuguese Pork Loin With Potatoes and Homemade Pimenta Moida, and White Chocolate Bread Pudding With Toasted Macadamia Caramel Sauce reflect a lifetime of lessons in technique, showcasing the big flavor for which he is known and his continued evolution in the kitchen. Emeril is at the reader’s elbow throughout, offering valuable tips and step-by-step photo tutorials to ensure flawless results.
Fans will delight in Emeril’s anecdotes revealing the inspiration behind each recipe, with appearances from A-list names – Mario Batali, Roy Choi, and Nobu Matsuhira, to name a few – alongside family members and early influences such as Julia Child and Charlie Trotter.
Gorgeously photographed and imbued with his signature warmth, Essential Emeril is Emeril’s most personal cookbook yet, offering an intimate portrait of a chef at the top of his game.”
And even better…the copy we are giving away is a signed copy from the man himself. So don’t miss out registering for your chance to win Essential Emeril along with all the other goodies in Santa’s bag.
Famed chef opens 14th eatery; focuses attention on locals instead of “the season”
Story by Michelle Farnham
MIRAMAR BEACH – When news broke this spring that world-renowned chef and local resident Emeril Lagasse was going to open a restaurant in town, he said he wanted to keep things as local as possible. Fast forward a few months, and Lagasse has kept his promise at his 14th restaurant, Emeril’s Coastal Italian. The James Beard Award-winner has hired 120 local people, is serving locally sourced product as often as possible, and is really trying to cater to local residents.
James Beard Award Winner Chef Emeril Lagasse Photo Courtesy of Sara Essex Bradley
Making his own trends
In an area like the Emerald Coast, where so much emphasis is placed on “the season” (serving tourists from spring break until Labor Day) Lagasse said he wants “Coastal” – as he affectionately calls the eatery – to be a great restaurant year-round.
“I purposely pushed not opening until the end of the season to not only do the construction right, but I didn’t want my staff to get in that mindset,” he said. “That’s the mindset out there in the community, you know, we’re going to make a lot of money between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and then we coast. That’s not how I operate.”
Lagasse said they’re already looking forward to specials for Thanksgiving, possibly something for the Italian-American Feast of the Seven Fishes around Christmas, New Year’s Eve events and beyond.
“We’re just going to be a great restaurant for locals, for them to come and enjoy and have fun, order multiple dishes, and talk,” he said.
Lagasse is also bucking the trend of stodgy, structured meals, eaten during fixed times, and costing a pretty penny. In a market where many of his competitors rate four dollar signs on Yelp, you’ll only find one entrée over $25 on the menu at Coastal. The staff opens the doors at 11:30, and won’t close them until 10 p.m. (10:30 on Fridays and Saturdays).
Off the small plates menu, the Steamed Mussels are prepared in a white wine sauce with tomato, garlic and arugula.
Calabrian chiles and garlic give the Skillet Shrimp small plate some zing!
Available on the small plates menu, the single but sizeable House Made Meatball is served with a generous portion of mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce.
For a classic Italian dish, the Lasagna Bolognese is available off the pasta menu for $10.
The Crispy Chicken Liver Bruschetta offers chicken livers two ways: a smooth mousse and crispy fried protein.
“That’s an Emeril Lagasse trend. I think that’s how people want to eat,” Lagasse explained. “I just feel today that these rules that we’re open from 11:30 to 2, and then we’re closed, then we reopen at 5:30 – people are tired of that. People are tired of being dictated what to do, what to eat, how to order. They’re over that. Now, if you want to go to Daniel, The French Laundry, you want to go to Del Posto, that’s a different story. I want people to come here more than once a week.”
There he goes again
Chef admitted that although this is his 14th restaurant, the task of opening doesn’t get any easier, especially when customers walk in the door with such high expectations on Week 1.
“It’s been a little overwhelming,” the chef admitted, after closing up the restaurant at 1 a.m. the night before. “It’s like having a baby. I’m getting ready to have a 1-year-old with Meril (his contemporary American restaurant in New Orleans) in a couple weeks. Here at Coastal, it’s like giving birth and we’ve had the whole process all over again.
“We have a brand new staff we trained for three weeks. They’re trying to adjust to how we do business, our system. Overall, we’re very, very happy. Most people are happy and we’re trying to move that percentage up more and more every day.”
Speaking of the staff, Lagasse has brought a few heavy hitters from Emeril’s Homebase in New Orleans for the opening, including his director of culinary and right-hand-man, Chris Wilson. Local chef Shane Quinlan was hired to fill the roll of chef de cuisine and will lead the kitchen when the proverbial dust settles.
Chef de Cuisine Shane Quinlan Photo Courtesy of Emeril’s Coastal Italian
Bringing the tastes of Italy – all of them
Lagasse said his culinary team drew inspiration from the Amalfi Coast of southern Italy when crafting Coastal’s menu, but in the Italian tradition, they were open to neighboring flavors, too.
“Amalfi plays a big part in the gulf they’re on with their seafood, and so when I was there last year shooting my show ‘Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse,’ for Amazon, I got super inspired,” he said. “But there’s a little influence of Tuscany, of Sicily, so there are little accents. It’s not just straight-on.
“That’s the way it is in Italy, you know? You can be in Tuscany but you’re still getting great seafood from the North. They’re like that with their wines as well. There are certain things like the sweet and sour, the lemon and the orange – those kinds of accents that we’ve incorporated in the menu.”
Don’t come to Coastal expecting Ye Olde Italian fare, though. Lagasse’s team has left off many of the more “traditional Italian” dishes many Americans may expect.
“Chicken Parmesan, veal Parmesan, that stuff hasn’t quite made the menu,” he said. “Maybe we’ll do that stuff as a special – pork Milanese, veal chop Milanese, you know.”
The black pasta in the Fettuccine Nero gets its distinctive black color from squid ink, and is topped with Calabrain chiles, almond and crabmeat.
Instead, look for Fettuccine Nero, featuring Calabrian chiles, almond, crabmeat and some very distinctive black pasta, compliments of squid ink. There’s a Parmesan-Crusted Snapper in a red sauce; a Tuscan Steak with arugula, garlic, lemon and olive oil; and the Kurobuta Pork Porterhouse Chop with Cubanelle pepper and an onion salad.
Two dishes on the pasta menu bear the name of two of Lagasse’s children. Meril’s Linguine & Clams features guanciale, blistered tomato and oregano; while E.J.’s Rigatoni is topped with shrimp, broccoli and a house-made Italian sausage ragout.
Guanciale, an Italian cured meat, offers a savory meatiness to Meril’s Linguine & Clams, served with blistered tomato and oregano.
Again, Lagasse is hoping diners will order several things to share, and there is an entire small plates menu to do just that. The Upside-Down Cornbread with pineapple and pancetta is an interesting mix of sweet and savory. The Stuffed Fried Olives come with pork rillettes and garlic aioli, while the Steamed Mussels give you a taste of the sea, prepared with white wine, tomato, garlic and arugula. Off the bruschetta menu, Lagasse’s Cajun Caviar Bruschetta tops a baguette with Cajun caviar, egg salad and crème fraîche.
Even as early as Week 1, Quinlan and the kitchen were turning out specials, like the lion fish, fried Italian-style with smoked tomato sauce, olive relish, and a yellow pepper coulis. Using this unique yet notoriously invasive protein, Lagasse hopes to improve the community one plate at a time.
A surprising mix of sweet and savory, the Upside-Down Cornbread small plate is accompanied by pineapple and pancetta.
Even as early as Week 1, the kitchen was offering specials, like the Lion Fish, fried Italian-style with smoked tomato sauce, olive relish, and a yellow pepper coulis.
Emeril’s Coastal Italian offers many dishes you won’t find anywhere else on the South Walton food scene, like the Cajun Caviar Bruschetta.
“We’re helping out as much as we can with the reefs,” he said. “I spend time in south Florida in the winter fishing, and that’s when I learned lion fish are a nuisance. They have no predators and they’re really attacking. All of a sudden, the migration in the past couple years, now they’re here in Destin. We’re doing our part, and it’s delicious!”
Time for something sweet – and different
In addition to house-made gelatos, sorbetos, cookies and biscotti, Lagasse worked with his pastry chefs Jeremy Fogg and Amy Lemon to “Emerilize” traditional Italian desserts for the Dolce Tazzas – or sweet cups.
“I don’t want to just do just banana cream pie, coconut cream pie and key lime pie. I want to break it up,” Lagasse explained. “We took every dessert and deconstructed it, and then we rebuilt it in the style of the Italian way. All of the components are there.”
As an example, the pastry program has turned out its own take on banana cream pie, all layered in a glass.
The Banana Cream Pie on the Dolce Tazza menu is Emeril’s deconstructed take on a traditional pie, served in a glass.
“You have the graham cracker crust, you have the banana, you have the pastry cream, the whipped cream, the caramel and the chocolate, so when you go in with the spoon, you get every one of those sensations, but it’s completely different,” the chef said with a sparkle in his eye.
Fruit-lovers will find the Zabaglione a delightful treat, with its layers of fresh seasonal fruit.
A dish that has already created a lot of buzz on social media, the Olive Oil Cake is a reinvented take on the Italian classic. “Usually in an Italian restaurant, you get a slice of olive oil cake and some olive oil and salt,” Lagasse said.
In addition to gelato, sorbeto and a selection of deconstructed pies, the cookie plate includes almond cookies, chocolate crinkles and biscotti – all homemade.
For a little something sweet, the Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding mixes flavors and textures, all in one glass.
Setting the scene
Also sparkling is the Mediterranean, coastal-themed interior, courtesy of Lagasse’s wife Alden with local design house Lovelace Interiors, and architects Geoff Chick and Jeff Margaretten. Soft, beachy grays mix with light and dark wood and modern light fixtures to set the tone for the meal. The kitchen is open, allowing guests to watch their meals being prepared. The chef’s counter is especially exciting when Lagasse himself is on the line. You may even spot his teenage son E.J. in the kitchen, when he’s not in school.
New Orleans artist Landon Lott created a pair of fine art “street graffiti” pieces to set the scene for the new Grand Boulevard restaurant.
The north wall features original sea life “street graffiti” with a fine art twist, created by Savannah College of Art and Design alum Landon Lott. Lott got his foot in the door, so to speak, after doing black and white murals at Meril last year. The pieces created such a buzz, Lagasse and Alden asked Lott to work his magic at Coastal.
Miramar Beach-based Lovelace Interiors – with help from Emeril’s wife, Alden – transformed the dining area into a warm and inviting space with a beachy, Mediterranean vibe.
Additional artwork includes a massive antique Italian piece in the private dining room from the Lagasses’ personal collection, as well as work from Watersound-based artist Allison Wickey.
Onward and upward
With two restaurants under a year old, television programs and all the other pots that Lagasse is currently stirring, you might expect him to stop and take a breath. Instead, he’s planning the massive Boudin, Bourbon and Beer event Nov. 3 in New Orleans. He’s in the middle of completely renovating his French Quarter restaurant NOLA after 20 years, with plans to reopen later this month, and he hinted at plans to change up one of his Vegas concepts in the near future.
Lagasse senses the winds of change may be coming to the South Walton dining scene, too. Fellow James Beard winner John Currence also opened a restaurant this year: Big Bad Breakfast in Inlet Beach. Could that be the sign of things to come? Lagasse thinks it might.
“I have a lot of respect for all the chefs here – don’t misunderstand me – but I think that the area is getting ready to change,” Lagasse admitted. “I think the whole dining scene is going to begin to evolve – and it needs to.”
Emeril’s Coastal Italian, located at 435 Grand Boulevard, Miramar Beach, is open seven days a week for both lunch and dinner.
Special to 30aFoodandWine.com courtesy of Grand Boulevard at Sandestin
Emeril’s Coastal Italian Restaurant Opens in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin Town Center Late Spring 2017
Chef Emeril Lagasse’s new restaurant to offer a combination of modern Italian cuisines with local fresh Gulf seafood.
Miramar Beach, Fla. (Mar. 30, 2017) – When legendary chef Emeril Lagasse decides to open a new restaurant, it’s a momentous occasion and people sit up and take notice. The award-winning restauranteur, cookbook author and television star has announced the opening of his newest restaurant, Emeril’s Coastal Italian, which opens in Grand Boulevard late Spring 2017. Lagasse’s newest restaurant joins the collection of premium restaurants based in the popular Town Center, located in the prestigious beach communities of South Walton, along the Gulf Coast of Northwest Florida.
“Grand Boulevard is a unique location and we can’t wait to be part of the many offerings and businesses here. I’ve had a long appreciation and love for this part of Florida. We are thrilled to partner with the Howard Group and become more involved with the local community,” said Lagasse.
Chef Emeril is hands-on with his restaurants and personally created the new restaurant concept. He and his restaurant team have written, tested and developed the menu and recipes, including the research of local purveyors and experimenting with local ingredients.
Emeril’s Coastal Italian combines the rich and diverse tradition of Italian cuisine with the bountiful variety of nearby fresh Gulf seafood and local ingredients.
“I plan to put my own spin or interpretation on many traditional dishes but also explore some unique offerings that highlight the amazing local ingredients that we have at our fingertips here. You can expect to find a wide array of dishes on this menu that expand beyond your traditional Italian restaurant.” said Lagasse.
Opening a restaurant in Miramar beach has been of interest to the Lagasse’s for some time. Chef Emeril is an avid fisherman and has been fishing in the gulf waters for years. He and his wife Alden Lagasse are active members of the community and call the Gulf Coast their home base.
“Part of the appeal of opening in Miramar Beach and at Grand Boulevard is the proximity to my home and the ability for my whole family to be involved. My children have grown up in our restaurants and we are really looking forward to having this property so close, it’s practically in our backyard,” said Lagasse.
Lovelace Interiors have been selected as the Interior Design Firm in collaboration with Lovelace design associate, Alden Lagasse. Susan Lovelace, ASID, NCIDQ certified and has owned the esteemed Interior Design Firm in Miramar Beach since 1992. The design concept is an earthy mix of textures that create a coastal and casual feeling, with an elegant touch. Susan and Alden describe it as a collaboration between cuisine and design elements that enhance the experience of dining. They are striving to make Emeril’s Coastal Italian something that is elevated beyond the ordinary and a complimentary fit to the many superb establishments located at the Town Center.
Keith Howard, President and CEO of Howard Group commented, “I admire the fact that Emeril and his family have been much appreciated and recognized local patrons of the Town Center for many years. Rarely, if ever, do we as developers have the opportunity to work alongside such a world-renowned chef who is also the owner and operator of this newly created Coastal Italian concept. We welcome Emeril and his family to our ever-growing Grand Boulevard Town Center, joining our many other premier dining, shopping and entertainment venues.”
Grand Boulevard is centrally located in the popular and affluent vacation community of South Walton, in Northwest Florida. With 13 restaurants and eateries located in the Town Center, Grand Boulevard attracts a large number of the permanent population as well as second home owners and the area’s many visitors who enjoy the shopping, dining, hotels and entertainment offered within the Town Center.
Emeril’s Coastal Italian restaurant is located at 435 Grand Boulevard, Suite 104, next door to the Town Center cinema.
About Grand Boulevard
Grand Boulevard is the shop, dine, play and stay Town Center located on Northwest Florida’s Beaches. Based on the prominent mixed-use architectural model, Grand Boulevard offers a dynamic lifestyle experience with convenient access to a multitude of exclusive shopping and dining options, entertainment, professional services, corporate offices and lodging. Grand Boulevard is a Howard Group and Merchants Retail Partners property. For more information, please call (850) 837-3099 or visit www.grandboulevard.com.
About Emeril Lagasse
Chef Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 13 restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Orlando and Bethlehem, PA. As a national TV personality, he has hosted more than 2,000 shows on the Food Network, and is the food correspondent for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Lagasse has appeared as a guest judge in four seasons of Bravo’s hit food series, “Top Chef,” was named a co-host for the tenth season of the “Rachael Ray Show,” and in January 2016, he entered his fourth season of “Emeril’s Florida” on the Cooking Channel. In September 2016, Amazon launched an original series featuring Lagasse called “Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse.” Lagasse is the best-selling author of 19 cookbooks, the latest, Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen, was released in October 2015. In 2002, Emeril established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children’s educational programs that inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts, nutrition, healthy eating, and important life skills. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $7 million to community organizations in New Orleans, Las Vegas and on the Gulf Coast. Please visit emerilsrestaurants.com for more info.
CONTACTS
For Grand Boulevard
Stacey Brady, Director of Marketing and Communications Grand Boulevard at Sandestin
850.837.3099 ext. 203
stacey@grandboulevard.com
