'Hometown hero' Emeril Lagasse makes surprise stops in Fall River. Here's why he was here.
FALL RIVER — It was just a typical Sunday for a few local eateries, then BAM! In walks one of Fall River's most famous former residents, celebrity chef and James Beard winner Emeril Lagasse.
"We were very loud on Sunday and it switched to murmurs really quickly," said Andrew Ferreira, co-owner of Europa Pastries and Coffee Shop, which received a surprise visit from Lagasse amid their morning rush.
The city native was in town doing research for his first Portuguese restaurant he plans to open in New Orleans late this summer. Research included a trip back to his roots for a culinary tour of popular Portuguese spots in the Providence, Fall River and New Bedford areas.
He and his Emeril Group team, which manages his 10 restaurants, flew in from New Orleans on Saturday, starting their tour at O Dinis in East Providence.
During his stop at O Dinis, Lagasse spoke to restaurant owner Natalia Paiva-Neves about growing up in Fall River and cooking Portuguese dishes with his mother, Miss Hilda.
And on Sunday his entourage made their rounds in the Spindle City, which included at least two stops on Columbia Street.
"I froze when I finally registered that it was really him. I said 'This is not real, is it?'" said Ferreira, who said he did a double take upon catching Lagasse's reflection in the mirror as he went about his daily routine of preparing coffee.
A sweet start at Europa Pastries
While there, Ferreira said Lagasse educated his colleagues on Portuguese traditions and culture of the Fall River area. Ferreira, his sister Erica Couto and her husband, Kevin, then chatted with him about the pastries their bakery is most known for.
So it's no surprise Lagasse's Europa order included their award-winning pastel de nata, or Portuguese custard cup.
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According to Ferreira, Lagasse wasn't at Europa very long, taking his treats to go, but he made a lasting impression on staff and customers all the same.
"It was brief, but it was enough to be star-struck and in awe that he was here," said Ferreira, who grew up watching Lagasse's TV show "Emeril Live!" every day and emulating the city-born chef.
"He was super nice. Anyone that came up to him he would speak to," Ferreira said. "He's definitely considered a hometown hero for a lot of those people."
Taste of Portugal at Sagres
A bit further up the cobblestoned sidewalks of Columbia Street, Lagasse and his crew dined that same day at Sagres Restaurant, well-known for its upscale, authentic Portuguese cuisine.
Victor DaSilva and his brother Manuel Ferreira, co-owners of the decades-old city staple, got a heads up about a week ago about Lagasse's visit.
"Somebody called in a reservation for Emeril Lagasse and we thought it was a joke," said DaSilva, whose disbelief dissipated as Emeril's table of six walked in the door.
The superstar chef sought a sampling of traditional Portuguese food and wines, leaving it up to DaSilva and Ferreira to order up an array of their most-loved entrees and appetizers.
Lagasse's Luso buffet at Sagres included shrimp and littleneck appetizers, followed by grilled octopus, one of Sagres' best sellers.
The spread also featured two types of cod fish dishes — baked cod (bacalhau) and Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa — Carne de Porco a Alentejana (marinated pork sautéed with littlenecks and potatoes) and Sagres' signature sirloin steak, the best measure of any good Portuguese eatery.
As with any customer who comes into his restaurant, DaSilva said "you always worry about making sure everything goes right," but he wouldn't call the experience nerve-wracking.
"They were really cool, very nice people," said DaSilva, whose restaurant has recently drawn other familiar faces such as former Patriots players Rob Ninkovich and Matt Light. "They said they loved the food, they loved Fall River, they loved the people … and that they'd love to return."
After their meal, the brothers shared a table with Lagasse, where they discussed the joys and challenges of the restaurant industry.
"I told him the people of Fall River are very proud of him," DaSilva said. "He's a big ambassador for the city, and in this case Portuguese food as well."
According to DaSilva, Lagasse was most gracious to the room full of excited customers and staff who exchanged words and took photos with the Fall River icon.
"He was very friendly. I think he felt like he was around his people here," said DaSilva, noting that some customers reminisced about how they knew his family.
What other Fall River-area spots did Emeril visit?
Lagasse's Sunday stops also included Portas Da Cidade Restaurant and Lounge in Westport, which shared a photo of their encounter with the memorable patron on Facebook.
"It was an honor and privilege to have Chef Emeril Lagasse and his team dine with us this afternoon. Chefs Ruben, Joe, and Emanuel made sure that everything is top notch as usual," read the Westport eatery's post.
On Monday, Lagasse continued his tour of Fall River hotspots by dining at the T.A. Restaurant on South Main Street, enjoying some Azorean cuisine and taking photos with restaurant managers. He also hit up Nick's Hot Dogs for a quick bite and visited Portugalia Marketplace, which has been host to numerous TV food shows and distinguished chefs over the years.
"He left us by saying, 'It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon,’" read a Facebook post by the Twelfth Street shop.
Lagasse's multi-day stretch of restaurant hopping in Greater Fall River also included several other local businesses, who shared photos with their special guest. Lagasse was spotted at Fall River's Caldeiras Restaurant, Mee Sum Chinese restaurant, Mello's Chourico and Linguica and Sarmento's Imports, as well as Saraiva Enterprises in New Bedford.
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Emeril’s Fall River roots
Born in Fall River in 1959, Lagasse worked his way up from the kitchens of Fall River to kitchens all over the world.
An alumnus of Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School's culinary arts program, he started out washing pans at Carreiros Barcelos bakery on Bedford Street and cut his teeth at places like the Quequechan Club and St. John's Athletic Club in Fall River, as well as Venus de Milo in Swansea.
He went on to attend Johnson & Wales University in Providence, which set him on a path to an impressive culinary career spanning 33 years.
His famous New Orleans restaurant Emeril’s has spawned more than 20 restaurants nationwide. The celebrity chef has also hosted multiple award-winning TV cooking shows where he rode a catchphrase craze to national fame (“Bam,” “kick it up a notch,” “pork fat rules”), written cookbooks, and even played himself in a sitcom.
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SouthCoast serving as inspiration for new restaurant
Lagasse's newest addition to his restaurant portfolio — the reason for his SouthCoast trip — will be named 34 Restaurant & Bar.
The number name reflects that father and son are the 3rd and 4th Emeril Lagasses. The celebrity chef's father was Emeril Jr.
The New Orleans restaurant, which he is planning with his son, 21-year-old chef E.J. Lagasse, will serve as a love letter to their Portuguese heritage.
With Providence Journal reports.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Emeril Lagasse embarks on culinary tour of Fall River, New Bedford area
