BETHLEHEM Pa. Emeril Lagasse will open his first burger restaurant this fall at the Sands Casino Resort here, an official from his restaurant company said Tuesday.
The full-service restaurant, which has yet to be named, will feature a number of gourmet burgers made with “several different kinds of ground beef and a variety of toppings,” said Dave McCelvey, Lagasse’s vice president of operations and culinary. The per-person check average is expected to be around $20, he said.
“This will be our most relaxed concept by far," McCelvey said.
McCelvey indicated that the restaurant could serve as the prototype for additional stores in the future.
“Right now I’ll say anything is possible, but we’ll start with this one, make sure it’s perfect and see if there’s room for more,” he said.
Lagasse joins several other celebrity chefs who are trying their hands at burgers. Bobby Flay debuted Bobby's Burger Palace last summer, and the fast-casual concept now boasts four locations in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. Daniel Boulud recently opened DBGB in New York City with a menu that includes three kinds of gourmet burgers, and Todd English plans to open his first burger restaurant later this year in Boston's theater district.
Also this fall, Lagasse plans to open a sports-theme restaurant, called Lagasse's Stadium, at The Palazzo resort-casino in Las Vegas. The restaurant, announced earlier this month, will feature Lagasse’s play on game-day favorites, a few of his New Orleans-style dishes and some twists on American classics.
Lagasse has 11 restaurants across the country, including Emeril's Chop House, which opened in May in the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem.
Contact Elissa Elan at [email protected].