Emeril Lagasse' Wife: Inside the Chef's Family Life with Alden Lovelace

Posted by Abbie Anker on Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse is a father of four kids and has been married to his third wife, Alden Lovelace, for over two decades. Through his marriage, he discovered and embraced his true potential in fatherhood.

Emeril Lagasse continues to enjoy life as a proud father of four children, a dedicated husband to Alden Lovelace, and a successful celebrity chef and restaurateur.

However, achieving success and fulfillment in various facets of his life was a challenging feat for him. Since becoming a father at 19, he struggled with parenting, career, and finding a perfect life partner.

Emeril Lagasse and Alden Lovelace at the Beach Bar Rum launch on February 17, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada. | Source: Getty Images

Alden Lovelace Is Emeril Lagasse's Wife of 23 Years

Emeril has been happily married to his wife, Alden Lovelace, for 23 years. The pair, who married in 2002, have shared an incredible bond even if they don't share the same profession.

Despite having a different job from his wife, Emeril views her as his life partner, "best friend," and "biggest supporter." He also enjoys sharing photos of his wife on social media.

Alden Lovelace Is a Realtor and a Proud Mom of Two

While Emeril is a celebrity chef who dominates the kitchen with his exceptional culinary expertise, Alden is a successful realtor, a career she started in 1993 in New Orleans and Los Angeles.

She is also a proud mom to two children: daughter Meril Lovelace Lagasse and son Emeril John "E. J." Lagasse IV. Parenting, for both Alden and Emeril, seems a breeze. For Emeril, being a father is not new, as he became a first-time parent at just 19.

Emeril's hardships as a young dad paved the way for him to learn to be a doting father.

Before E. J. and Meril, Emeril had welcomed two daughters — Jessica and Jillian — from his first marriage to Elizabeth Kief from 1978 to 1976. Being a young dad was challenging as he was simultaneously building his reputation as a chef then.

Emeril worked 80 hours a week to make ends meet, splitting his time into two jobs. The financial and parenting struggles eventually resulted in him having a distant relationship with his daughters.

He and Elizabeth soon separated. Emeril eventually remarried Tari Hohn, his second wife, from 1989 until 1996. However, they never had children during their union. Although he tried his best to become the best dad for Jessica and Jillian, Emeril admitted that he was not trained on how to be a husband or a dad.

However, Emeril's hardships as a young dad paved the way for him to learn to be a doting father the second time he became a father. His career had also improved, making it much easier than during his first marriage.

He mentioned that he and Alden had been planning to have children together for two years, and their efforts led to the arrival of Meril and E. J. into their family. Reflecting on his journey into fatherhood, he shared:

"The second time around, I learned that I had to be a better listener. I learned that life is life and people are people."

Unlike the first-time fatherhood experience, the second one differed due to their constant daily communication, as no long-distance relationship was involved. Emeril said he now maintains a close bond with his children, including Jessica and Jillian.

A Glimpse inside Emeril Lagasse and Alden Lovelace's Family Life

Even though Jessica and Jillian have private lives, Emeril cherishes E. J. and Meril's company. They enjoy celebrating special occasions, such as Bacchus Sunday and Halloween.

Emeril recently took to Instagram to announce that his son, E. J., is treading the same path as him, aspiring to become a chef. The proud dad expressed his happiness in working alongside his son.

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