Chef Emeril Lagasse Samples Restaurants and “Things to Do” in Kissimmee on Latest Emeril’s Florida TV Episode

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
ERay@FRLA.org

(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida airing on Sunday, March 9, 2014, at 2:30 p.m. EST on the Cooking Channel. In Sunday’s episode titled, “Great Food, A Golf Lesson & Cowabunga Dude!” celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse visits restaurants in Kissimmee and samples some of his favorite things to do in the area.

“Central Florida is known as one of the Sunshine State’s most popular destinations and Chef Emeril gives viewers a chance to expand their experience by showcasing hot spots in Kissimmee,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “The food featured in this episode is full of Florida flavor and the Chef gets to show off his golf skills at one of the state’s most impressive resorts. This show will make visitors of all ages eager to enjoy Kissimmee.”

Chef Emeril begins the episode at Café D’Antonio, one of the best restaurants in downtown Celebration in the Kissimmee area.  Emeril meets owner Greg Gentile who has had the only Italian Restaurant in Celebration since he opened it back in 1997.  Greg has traveled extensively throughout Italy and brings those experiences to the menus he creates.  Emeril and Greg talk Italian food and sample some of Café D’Antonio’s signature dishes.

Next, Emeril stops by Savion’s Place, a small, individually owned restaurant that works hard to produce high-quality food. Pouchon Savion is the owner and our host for the segment. His menu is modern American, highly seasonal and always based on the best ingredients available.  Chef Pouchon and Emeril talk farm to table and sample some of the chef’s most popular dishes.

After sampling the restaurants, Emeril gets some help on his golf game (which is actually pretty good) from world-renowned instructor David Leadbetter at his Leadbetter Golf Academy at the Omni Resort at ChampionsGate in Kissimmee.

Finally, Emeril takes viewers on a tour of some of the fun things to do when visiting the Kissimmee area.  He begins with some of the themed dinner attractions and then on to pie festivals, airboats and other things to do in the Kissimmee area.  Emeril ends up at Fantasy Surf, an indoor surfing facility where you can surf day or night, rain or shine. The show reruns on Monday, March 10th at 9:30 a.m. EST and Thursday, March 13th 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.

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About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $76.1 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.6 billion in sales tax revenue, and nearly 1.1 million employees, making it the state’s number one industry.  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. For more information, go to www.FRLA.org.