From Kitchen to Community: How a Passion for Food Became a Mission for Giving Back

Since 2002, Emeril Lagasse Foundation has worked to create opportunities to inspire, mentor and enable youth to reach their full potential. While the work has evolved and our team has grown, the mission has remained steadfast – and it all stems from the mentors, teachers, and role models who helped shape Chef Emeril’s own life and career.

Paying It Forward

Reflecting on the Foundation’s origins, Chef Emeril once shared, “It’s been the good fortune of my life to have benefited from the wisdom and support of a long line of teachers and mentors.” Those experiences left a lasting impression. When Chef Emeril and his wife, Alden, established the Foundation, they did so to pay the support forward.

“We have always been drawn to helping children and have been inspired by how a small contribution can turn into something so great,” Emeril explained. 

From the beginning, the Foundation’s focus was on creating opportunities for young people to learn, build confidence, and discover new possibilities through nutrition and culinary education. Our efforts first took shape through the Community Grants program, which supports nonprofit organizations helping young people access education, mentorship, and essential resources. 

Over time, our partnerships helped shape and expand the Foundation’s approach, revealing new ways food, education, and community could work together to create lasting impact. 

Witnessing the Growth

Today, Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s impact is felt in communities nationwide. 

Across three programs, Emeril Lagasse Foundation reaches more than 36,000 young people nationwide, delivers over 6,400 hands-on lessons in gardening, cooking, and nutrition, and invests in nonprofit organizations that expand access to food, education, mentorship, scholarships, and life-changing opportunities.

Our annual impact is made possible by an active network of teachers, schools, chefs, donors, nonprofit organizations, and partners, all equally committed to empowering youth through food. Impact can be measured in meals served, grants awarded, and students reached – and found in moments that are harder to quantify.

For proof, look no further than Diego, a student from Starlight Elementary School, an Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen school partner in Watsonville, California, who was learning about Oaxacan corn when he made an unexpected connection.

“Corn is also my cousin because I am also from Oaxaca.” 

For Diego, the lesson grew beyond tending crops and became an opportunity to connect with his culture and see a piece of himself reflected in what he was learning. (You can hear more from him here.)

Experiences like Diego’s happen every day through Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, where students engage in nutrition, garden, and culinary education. By learning how to grow food, prepare meals, and make healthy choices, youth develop life skills that extend beyond the garden and kitchen. 

Mentoring the Next Generation

Mentorship is another key focus area of the Foundation, and the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund illustrates the power of mentorship daily.

For many Aarón Sánchez Scholarship recipients, the relationships formed through the program become as meaningful as the skills they learn. As one recipient shared, “Being an Aarón Sánchez Scholarship recipient means that there’s someone who believes in me as much as I believe in myself.”

Others describe discovering a passion for a new style of cooking, gaining confidence in their abilities, or knowing they have someone in their corner when they need guidance. These experiences reflect the same lesson that helped inspire and continues to guide the Foundation: when young people have access to mentors who believe in them, new possibilities begin to emerge.

Looking Ahead

As Emeril Lagasse Foundation approaches its 25th year in 2027, the focus remains on creating more opportunities for young people by investing in education, mentorship, and community partnerships. As we near the conclusion of our five-year Together Toward Extraordinary campaign, the Foundation is working toward these goals: 

• Reach a cumulative total of 250,000 youth through Foundation-supported programs and partnerships over the course of the campaign.
• Expand access to culinary, nutrition, and arts education in schools and communities nationwide.
• Strengthen a growing network of educators, nonprofit organizations, chefs, and community leaders working together to support youth.
• Invest in programs that help young people build life skills, confidence, and pathways to future success.

Our vision is bold, our plan is deliberate, and our foundation is strong. Together, we continue to open doors for young people, giving them the tools and support they need to lead healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives.

Discover More About Our Mission

We would love for you to become part of the impact. Whether you are a school looking to expand your programs or a potential partner looking to make a difference, you can learn more on our website. To get started, view our programs or learn how you can support our work.