Carnival Cruise Line announced that celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse will have a restaurant situated in the heart of the French Quarter aboard Mardi Gras when the ship joins the fleet in 2020 summer.
The restaurant will serve the kind of cuisine the master chef has specialized in for years. Lagasse is the chef and proprietor of eleven different restaurants, including 4 in New Orleans. He is a regular guest on Good Morning America and has hosted over 2000 shows on Food Network. Lagasse also serves as a guest judge on Bravo’s Top Chef.
Passengers should expect meals that celebrate the rich culture of New Orleans, including spicy creole offerings. Among the menu items are muffuletta sandwiches, an oyster and cochon de lait po-boys, gumbo, jambalaya and sides such as Creole potato salad with diced scallions, red beans, and “jazz-man” rice. Desserts include the New Orleans classic, Bananas Foster, and lemon ice box pie. Among the breakfast items are shrimp & grits, and shrimp Creole omelet. Appetizers cost US$2 each on the ala carte menu. Entrees are priced at US$12.
Following a series of cruises from New York, Carnival Mardi Gras will relocate to Port Canaveral FL for year-round 7-day Caribbean voyages starting October 2020.