EJ And Emeril Lagasse Know There'll Never Be Another 'BAM' Catchphrase

When you hear the name "Emeril Lagasse," you likely think of Cajun food, Food Network shows, and his signature exclamation: "BAM!" In fact, this catchphrase came about in Lagasse's earlier TV era – he often explains when he's asked what he thinks about "BAM" – as he needed a way to get his crew's attention.

Of course, now that Lagasse's son, EJ, has joined him in the culinary industry, that leaves many fans wondering if EJ will come up with his own catchphrase. In a "Shared Tastes" interview with Tasting Table, Emeril suggested to his son "ka-pow" as a catchphrase, at which EJ laughed and then said, "I think I'll leave the catchphrases to you."

EJ went on to add that he didn't think he could possibly outdo his father's catchphrase, as it's quite literally everywhere. The Lagasses even have a seasoning blend called "Baby Bam," for crying out loud. Realistically, could anything ever outshine "BAM?" Probably not.

Although no one has necessarily set out to try to top Emeril Lagasse's signature catchphrase specifically, a few other celebrity chefs have managed to at least find their own slogans. Gordon Ramsay, for instance, has been known to yell, "It's raw!" He's also famous for his "idiot sandwich" meme, though the phrase actually originated from a skit on "The Late Late Show with James Corden." Similarly, one of Guy Fieri's best one-liners is: "Winner, winner, chicken dinner." And, of course, we also have Rachael Ray and her signature "Yum-o!" However, what really sets these others apart from Emeril Lagasse's "BAM" is that these catchphrases haven't necessarily translated from a televised kitchen setting into the average person's everyday use, as EJ alludes to in the "Shared Tastes" interview.

So, sure, "bam" was probably in the Merriam-Webster dictionary before Lagasse started using it on his TV shows, but it's fun to think he made it as popular in modern vernacular as it is now. Crazy how one day you can say something on TV, and BAM — next thing you know, everyone's saying it.

Static Media owns and operates Mashed and Tasting Table.