From Kitchen to Clinic: Chef Emeril Shares the Power of Food, Wellness, & Youth Education
Recently, at the American Academy of Physician Associates’ national conference, Chef Emeril Lagasse joined Jessica DeLuise, PA-C, “The Wellness Kitchenista” for a main stage conversation and live cooking demonstration exploring the powerful connection between nutrition, wellness, and health. The session highlighted how hands-on culinary education and experiences can help people of all ages build healthier habits and stronger relationships with the food they eat.
Chef Emeril shared how food education for youth is deeply connected to the mission of Emeril Lagasse Foundation, particularly through our signature program, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen. By bringing teaching kitchens and gardens into elementary and middle schools, our program gives students the opportunity to start from the soil, understand where food comes from, and gain practical skills that last a lifetime. Chef Emeril was joined on stage by Chef Carmine, a third grader at Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy—an Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen school partner—who helped bring the impact to life by sharing how fun and meaningful the kitchen and garden experience is for young learners.
Together, Chef Emeril, Jessica, and Chef Carmine showcased three vibrant recipes from Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen’s K-8 curriculum—Stir-Fried Sesame Vegetables, Shrimp and Veggie Summer Rolls, and Fruit Salad with Fresh Whipped Cream—while discussing tips for properly cooking vegetables, choosing fresh fruit, making dietary substitutions, and involving children in grocery shopping and meal preparation. Our comprehensive curriculum, provided to signature program school partners, contains more than 100 of Chef Emeril’s recipes adapted for the classroom and is aligned to national academic standards. From mise en place to “eating the rainbow,” the demonstration reinforced how early culinary education builds confidence, life skills, and healthy habits that children can bring home to inspire their families and communities. You can learn more about Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen at https://emeril.org/emerils-culinary-gardens/.
Header photo credit: Zack Smith Photography / AAPA 2026 Annual Conference
