Emeril Lagasse Foundation Expands Impact in Austin, TX with Grant of $50,000

Funding Increases Reach in K-8 Schools through Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen Curriculum

Emeril Lagasse Foundation has distributed a $50,000 Cultivator Grant to Partners for Education, Agriculture, and Sustainability (PEAS) in Austin, Texas. With this funding, the foundation is expanding upon its investment in Austin Independent School District (AISD) and bringing cooking education to more students.

The Cultivator Grant is an extension of Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, the Foundation’s signature program, and was created to increase access so that more schools have the knowledge and resources to integrate seed-to-table education. The grant will allow PEAS to expand the program to five additional schools in the district. Since 2019, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen has been successfully operating at Cunningham Elementary, where the PEAS farm is located, and it strengthens school environments through project-based learning that empowers children.

“We are thrilled to continue our work in the Austin area,” said Chef Emeril Lagasse. “We are inspiring kids to learn through food and giving them the resources, tools and knowledge to do so. There is so much need to reach kids outside of the traditional classroom.”

Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen is a national education program that integrates culinary gardens and teaching kitchens in elementary and middle schools to create interactive learning environments centered on food. It aims to help children from all walks of life be healthier, appreciate food and its role in culture, and serve as role models for healthy eating within their families and communities.

“It is an honor that our collaboration has grown exponentially, allowing us to bring cooking education to children in five more schools within AISD. We have seen firsthand the positive outcomes this program creates. We are grateful for the enduring commitment from Emeril Lagasse Foundation,” Lauren Zappone Maples, PEAS Executive Director.

PEAS cultivates joyful connections with the natural world through outdoor learning and edible education.  Its school day programming supports teachers in providing creative, engaging, hands-on outdoor and edible education experiences to students from many backgrounds.  This grant will provide 400 additional students to access the curriculum, with a total of 70 cooking classes from October 2024 to May 2025.

With this expansion, Emeril Lagasse Foundation is building upon its goal to create a growing network of like-minded schools across the nation. Currently the program reaches 6,514 students around the country.