Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
[email protected]
(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida airing on Sunday, February 16, 2014, at 2:30 p.m. EST on the Cooking Channel. In Sunday’s episode titled, “Orlando Farm-to-Table – Part 2,” celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse continues his farm-to-table focus and visits some of the top restaurants in the Orlando area including Emeril’s restaurant, Tchoup Chop.
“This episode emphasizes the wonderful relationship between Florida’s tourism and agricultural industries representing the top economic drivers in our state,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “The blend of great venues and locally sourced flavors gives viewers a feel for what the Sunshine State is all about and we hope it provides them a fresh perspective that will inspire them to visit our member restaurants.”
In the second Orlando episode this season, Chef Emeril kicks things off at Luma on Park in Winter Park. He sits down with Chef Brandon McGlamery to sample some of the restaurant’s signature dishes while talking about how to create fresh locally inspired cuisine. Next, Emeril heads to his home turf at Tchoup Chop, the restaurant he owns, located at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort. While there, he highlights the crafted cocktails they serve including six that are unique to the restaurant. He also meets with Gabriel Orozco, the General Manager of Emeril’s Orlando Operations. The two talk about the newest additions to the Tchoup Chop menu including increased sushi offerings and specials made on their new Robata grill, which can reach temperatures of 1000 degrees. Then Emeril travels to The Greenhouse in Apopka, a farmutilizing tall aeration towers that trickle a specialty blend of nutrient water to the budding plants. The towers can hold thousands of plants with a very high turnover rate, and the farm consistently produces crops of excellent quality making them a great provider for high-end restaurants, primarily in the Orlando area.
To wrap up the episode, Emeril visits K Restaurant in College Park owned by Chef Kevin Fonzo. Chef Fonzo’s menu is known for its locally sourced ingredients and it changes daily based on availability. Emeril also learns about Chef Fonzo’s volunteer work at the Orlando Junior Academywhere he teaches classes and helps the students with their garden. Emeril joins him in his classroom to meet some of his students and then he and Chef Kevin tour the students’ garden. The show reruns on Monday, February 17th at 9:30 a.m. EST and Thursday, February 20th at 11:30 a.m. EST. Please check local listings.
Emeril’s Florida Season Two is a 13-episode series highlighting the Sunshine State through the eyes of Emeril on-location with a focus on food, cooking, events and activities around the state. Throughout the second season, Emeril will be visiting Florida’s top restaurants and resorts. He will also prepare some of his favorite recipes which often will feature some of the best seafood Florida has to offer. The program is sponsored by the FRLA and VISIT FLORIDA. For additional information on the series, including links to previous episodes, please go to the Cooking Channel website here. For a preview of Sunday’s episode, click here.
# # #
About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks.