Southern Breeze 2007 Holiday Issue

story by DEREK BAGLEY photography by C. ROSS Restaurateur of the Year Ema Haq finds the time to give back to the community that gave him so much through both his restaurants—Ema’s and Bailey’s Seafood and Grill (above)—and his fantastic dishes (right). Engineering Exquisite Entrees Ema Haq parlays his engineering degree into award-winning Louisiana cuisine. E ma Haq didn’t come to America with any intention of one day becoming an award-winning chef. A native of Bangladesh, Ema arrived on the Gulf Coast in 1983 at the age of 19 and had big dreams of working on oil rigs, so he attended the University of Louisiana in Lafayette and received his mechanical engineering degree. When he got here, he was certainly not the whiz in the kitchen that he is today. “I didn’t even know how to cook rice,” he says. To put himself through school, Ema found work in the food service industry, working as a busboy, dishwasher, cook, bartender, and waiter, picking up his cooking cues as he went along. Now, Ema is the owner of Bailey’s Seafood and Grill (which includes an offshore catering service—those oil rigs are still a part of his life) and Ema’s Restaurant, which serves more “down home” fare. He’s also one of Louisiana’s top chefs with more than 30 cooking medals, a Best in Show award from the Louisiana Gold Culinary Classic, and the 2007 Louisiana Restaurant Association “Restaurateur of the Year” award, the association’s most prestigious honor, all to show for his culinary prowess. Ema credits his training in engineering with giving him the tools necessary to be a successful chef. “I couldn’t be a good cook if I didn’t have my engineering right now,” he says. “You have to be precise in both, very careful in what you do.” For instance, Ema explains, that precision is necessary when cooking with different sauces, as you don’t want the sauce to overpower the dish itself, citing his renowned sea bass and its “incredible” sauce as an example. But precision doesn’t mean sacrificing creativity. Ema prides himself on being resourceful and adventurous in the kitchen. “I like to cook whatever you give me,” he says, noting that among his favorite things to cook are soup and sauces, because of the almost limitless ways you can tinker with them. “Creating different sauces is what I enjoy most,” Ema says. Ema’s success isn’t just resigned to the kitchen. He’s also a beloved humanitarian in his adopted city of Lafayette, opening the doors of his restaurants to provide meals to the needy during the holidays. His first Thanksgiving in America, Ema wasn’t sure what to make of the holiday. “All I knew was that I didn’t have to work in the cafeteria that week,” he says. So Ema’s friend Jeff invited him to Thanksgiving dinner, and when the meal was over, Jeff’s mother wrapped up some leftovers for Ema to take home. That experience inspired Ema’s holiday tradition of serving meals to the less fortunate as if they were paying customers in his restaurant. The first year his restaurant was open, he and his family served close to 200 people, and since then, that number has grown to around 700. “There’s a lot of people in the community that might have a little money but they still need assistance,” Ema says. “We go pick them up or we deliver food to those who can’t get out. They appreciate it so much.” For Ema, their appreciation is the biggest reward he can receive. “The cards we get,” he says with a chuckle. “It’s a great feeling. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.” Holiday 2007 71

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2007 Holiday Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Words & Notes Coastal Calendar Storefronts Sweet Dreams Art of Living Fixtures Our Backyard Make Yourself at Home Beach Bam! A Big Easy Christmas Upwardly Mobile Can't Drive Old Dixie Down Rock On! The Play's the Thing Cheers Dish Chef's Table Let's Eat Reader Services Last Bite

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