Emeril Lagasse Returns to Johnson & Wales University
to Benefit Scholarship Fund
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — November 23, 2005 — Chef Emeril Lagasse combined several of his passions — including his dedication to helping students pursue a career in culinary arts and his appreciation for the sport of golf — when he returned to his alma mater, Johnson & Wales University, for the 3rd Annual Emeril Lagasse Golf Classic benefiting his endowed scholarship fund. The tournament raised more than $377,000, bringing the three-year event total to just over $1.1 million dollars.
Supporting future culinarians
Four students received 2005 scholarships through The Emeril Lagasse Endowed Scholarship Fund at Johnson & Wales University. They attended the Golf Classic and met Lagasse; in addition to the financial reward, the recipients gain the once-in-a-lifetime experience to work at one of Lagasse's award-winning restaurants. One of them, Ryan Sparks, a junior at the Denver Campus, is the single parent of two daughters who works full-time and carries a full-time course load. He credits his determination and love for what he is doing as the reason he is able to accomplish his goal. “I am grateful not only for the financial assistance, but for the opportunity to learn the chefs at Emeril’s restaurants and to meet Chef Lagasse himself,” he said.
“Meeting the students who will benefit from the Emeril Lagasse Endowed Scholarship Fund brings it all together,” said Lagasse, a 1978 graduate of Johnson & Wales. “To know that I can help them professionally, that I can truly give back in a concrete way, makes me proud. I believe that education is what sets us apart in our profession.”
“Emeril is an inspiration to all of our culinary students who come here to do the same thing he did, follow their dreams and find their passion in life,” said John J. Bowen, university president. “Having Emeril work with us on this event helps to strengthen our mission of providing students with practical, quality and affordable education, and for that we are extremely grateful.”
Getting the industry involved
Eighty-four local and national companies sponsored the event where 112 golfers participated to help Lagasse achieve his goal of mentoring and inspiring young people. Founding Golf Classic Partners include PepsiCo Foodservice, J&W, The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, TPC-Boston and Nation’s Restaurant News. Event sponsors for this year’s event also included B&G Foods, Bank of America, Boston Beer Co., Cintas Corp., Coca-Cola N.A., Dunkin’ Brands Inc., Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and U.S. Foodservice.
“The Golf Classic is one of several ways that Emeril is able to accomplish the goal of The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which is to inspire and mentor young people,” said Steve Caldeira, tournament chairman and co-founder, president and chief executive of The Elliot Leadership Institute in Tarrytown, N.Y. “Through this event and our very generous sponsors, we are able to provide students with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in the $483 billion dollar foodservice industry.”
In 2001, “The Emeril Lagasse Scholarship Fund at Johnson & Wales University” was established by the Scripps Howard Foundation and Johnson & Wales to celebrate the taping of the 1,000th episode of the Emeril Live! program for the Food Network.
Johnson & Wales — America’s Career University® – was founded in 1914. It is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, food service, education, hospitality and technology. Preparing students for successful careers is the cornerstone of the University’s educational philosophy. A benchmark of the University has been its 27 consecutive year employment record - within 60 days of graduation, 98 percent of its students from the 50 states have jobs in their chosen career field. With an enrollment of more than 16,000 students, Johnson & Wales maintains campuses in Providence, R.I., Charleston, S.C., Norfolk, Va., North Miami, Fla., and Denver, Colo. In September 2004, it opened its newest campus in Charlotte, N.C. For more information about Johnson & Wales University, visit www.jwu.edu.
Chef2Chef News Desk