In Emeril Lagasse's Career, One Recipe Stands Above The Rest

Emeril Lagasse has been wowing fans with his talent, boisterous personality, and entertaining TV appearances throughout his journey in the culinary world. He attended top-tier schools, opened a collection of restaurants, and has starred on multiple shows on the Food Network. The celebrity chef's catchphrases "Bam!" and "Kick it up a notch!" kept audiences delighted as he performed in the kitchen, creating cajun classics and ultimately hosting more than 2,000 shows on the popular television network (per Emeril's Restaurants).

The celebrity chef hasn't been in the spotlight for more than a decade, but he's still cooking up flavorful food in the kitchen. The reason you don't hear from Lagasse anymore comes down to legal, personal, and financial issues — not from lack of productivity.

While many chefs are known for a specific culinary feat or signature dish, Lagasse doesn't have one specific meal attached to his name, TheRecipe reported. Some fans, however, associate him with a classic dessert that, when made correctly, is absolutely bananas.

Lagasse's Banana Cream Pie with caramel drizzles and chocolate sauce is famous for being as challenging to prepare as it is delicious, according to the comments on the recipe posted to Emerils website. The pie consists of a banana custard layered over graham cracker crust, garnished with chocolate and caramel to finish off the creation. The final product should have a creamy texture while remaining thick enough to cut into distinctive slices. The trick is cooking the cream long enough that it sets just enough, but not too much.

"I've made this 4 times over the last couple years, and I always mess it up the first time and have to start over. It's usually too runny. (I order this at least once a year in Vegas, so I know what the consistency should look like)," one fan said. Another remarked that their custard set up too much, admitting "My custard was so thick after cooking it 30 seconds that a butter knife stuck in it was held upright." 

Lucky for these fans, in addition to the decadent desserts, a real treat offered on the site is "Emeril's Culinary Team" who participates in the comment section of the posted recipes, answering questions and offering cooking tips. For those trying to recreate this dish at home, mix it up with Emeril Lagasse's Banana Cream Pie with a twist.