Emeril Lagasse may have closed a number of his restaurants over the years, but he is opening one notable eatery, and it will be located where no other Emeril restaurant has been: the open seas. In 2019, Carnival Cruise Line announced its newest ship, Mardi Gras, will feature Lagasse’s first-ever cruise ship restaurant, Emeril’s Bistro 1396. The cruise ship was supposed to start sailing in the summer of 2020, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, its maiden voyage was pushed back a year.
The pairing between a Mardi Gras-themed boat and the Creole-cooking Lagasse was a match made in heaven. “I’ve developed restaurants all over the country, but to create my first restaurant at sea — on a ship named Mardi Gras with its own French Quarter, no less — was an opportunity I simply could not pass up,” Lagasse revealed in a press release. “I’m excited to be a part of this brand new ship and bring a taste of the flavors of New Orleans cuisine to the guests sailing on Mardi Gras.”
Emeril’s Bistro 1396 will feature some of Lagasse’s signature dishes and will include authentic bayou menu items such as oyster and cochon de lait po’ boys, muffuletta sandwiches, barbecue shrimp, fresh seafood ceviche, roasted duck and Andouille sausage gumbo, and jambalaya.