Emeril Lagasse Foundation Strengthens Culinary Education in Chicago with a $230,000 Grant to the Charles and Rochelle Trotter Culinary Endowment - Emeril.org - Emeril.org Emeril Lagasse Foundation Strengthens Culinary Education in Chicago with a $230,000 Grant to the Charles and Rochelle Trotter Culinary Endowment - Emeril.org

Emeril Lagasse Foundation Strengthens Culinary Education in Chicago with a $230,000 Grant to the Charles and Rochelle Trotter Culinary Endowment

Foundation Reinforces Commitment to Chicago with Significant Support for Culinary Education

Emeril Lagasse Foundation has awarded a $230,000 grant to the Charles and Rochelle Trotter Culinary Endowment, housed at the Illinois Restaurant Association Education Foundation (IRAEF). This grant underscores Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s mission to create opportunities to inspire, mentor, and enable youth to reach their full potential while supporting culinary, nutrition, and arts education in Chicago from cradle to craft and honoring the legacy of the late Charles Trotter.

The grant stems from a special auction lot featured at Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s signature fundraising event, Carnivale du Vin. The lot, donated by Rochelle Trotter in honor of the Charles and Rochelle Trotter Endowment, included a 1900 Château Margaux paired with an exclusive dinner for eight in the wine room of Chef Emeril Lagasse’s flagship restaurant, Emeril’s New Orleans. “This gift from our generous friend Rochelle is a beautiful tribute to Charlie’s vision and a testament to our shared mission of inspiring the next generation,” said Chef Emeril Lagasse. “Charlie was a dear friend, and it is truly special to join forces with Rochelle to make a difference in the lives of young aspiring chefs through this endowment.”

“The Charles and Rochelle Trotter Culinary Endowment reflects Charles’ dedication to fostering excellence and innovation in the culinary arts,” said Rochelle Trotter.

“This grant ensures that aspiring chefs in Chicago have the mentorship and resources needed to achieve their full potential, continuing the legacy of culinary brilliance Charles so deeply believed in.”

Emeril Lagasse Foundation has made significant contributions to the Chicago community, totaling over $750,000 in grants to Chicago-based organizations. In addition to the IRAEF grant, the Foundation brought its signature program, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, to Chicago’s Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC) with a $500,000 grant in 2022. This program blends hands-on culinary and gardening education with traditional academics, empowering students to learn about nutrition, sustainability, and healthy living while cultivating skills that extend far beyond the classroom. In January 2025, the Foundation awarded a $20,000 grant through the Aaron Sanchez Impact Fund to Pilot Light, supporting culinary education for Latino students at Roosevelt High School, where 75% of students identify as Latino.

“We are deeply committed to making a meaningful difference in the Chicago area through partnerships with institutions such as AGC, IRAEF, and Pilot Light,” said Brian Kish, President of Emeril Lagasse Foundation.

“Our goal is to create lasting change in the culinary and educational landscapes through transformative opportunities for young people.”


About Emeril Lagasse Foundation: Founded in 2002 by Chef Emeril Lagasse and his wife Alden, Emeril Lagasse Foundation is a 501c(3) public charity headquartered in New Orleans. The Foundation’s mission is to create opportunities to inspire, mentor, and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education with a focus on life skills development. Since its inception, Emeril Lagasse Foundation has granted more than $22 million to children’s charities to support culinary, nutrition, and arts programs. The Foundation accomplishes this through three programs. The Community Grants program provides programmatic and capital support to nonprofit organizations across the nation. The signature program, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, is a national education initiative created to enrich the lives of elementary and middle school children through a fun, fresh perspective on food. The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund, the newest program, provides culinary arts education and human services programming for Latino youth. To learn more about the foundation and its beneficiaries, visit Emeril.org, or follow on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.