Emeril isn’t just a popular cooking television chef, he also has his own brand of Emeril dinnerware, as well as his own tableware, bakeware, and flatware to boot. But does a tv chef know anything about producing quality dishes? That’s what we’re going to find out today!
Who is Emeril?
Emeril Lagasse is a popular American chef, television host, restaurant owner, cookbook writer, and all around celebrity and media icon. His shows Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live are seen on the food network in America and throughout the world. He has restaurants in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and Pennsylvania and his combined media empire is said to make over $150 million per year.
I don’t know about you, but I’m never quite sure what to make of celebrity chefs who decide to create their own dinnerware or cookware. How does being a chef on television make you a good dish manufacturer? It just doesn’t really make sense to me. I understand it from a marketing perspective, the margins are fantastic; it’s like printing money. But are these dishes actually any good? Will they stand up over time? That’s what we need to discover today.
First there’s a little confusion, Emeril used to manufacture under the Wedgwood company but in 2008 he signed a deal with Martha Stewart company to produce a wide range of products including different cookware so I’m not exactly sure where the dinnerware falls into this dynamic.
Some popular Emeril Sets include:
- Emeril Chef’s White by Wedgewood
- Emeril Professional Series
- Emeril’s Market Butter Saffron
- Emeril’s Market Mushroom Sesame
These are usually made up of 16 piece sets that range in price from $90 to $120, though you can find them discounted sometimes at around $50 which might send a warning signal through your system!
I should just say right off the bat that it’s pretty hard to track down these dishes and sets. You can find a few that I listed above from Amazon.com but other than that it’s very difficult. You used to be able to find them at Costco but I don’t think they have them there anymore.
What does this mean? Well to me it means that you shouldn’t purchase any of this dinnerwaer for two different reasons. The first is that it’s incredibly difficult to find. The second is – what happens if you break a plate and need a replacement? Finding replacement pieces can be tough under the best of circumstances and if nobody is selling it anymore it becomes nearly impossible.
You have the option how you choose to outfit your own kitchen but take it from me, find yourself a different collection, one with tons of satisfied customer reviews. Really, I wouldn’t even give these as a gift until we get more data. Emeril Dinnerware may be right for you, but it’s not right for me!
