Team

Tuan Tran has worked with renowned Chef Emeril Lagasse for 31 consecutive years, working his way up from busboy to general manager of Lagasse's popular Delmonico Steakhouse in The Venetian Resort, Hotel & Casino. When asked why he enjoys his job, he simply replies: "I love working for Chef Emeril."

Tran was born in Vietnam but moved to New Orleans as a child with his family in 1979. He got his start in the restaurant industry as a teenager, working as a busboy at a restaurant on New Orleans' West Bank. When Chef Emeril Lagasse opened his first and eponymous restaurant in 1990, Tran applied for a busser position. "I had heard Emeril was a good chef at Commander's Palace," Tran says, "so I wanted to try out a new restaurant."

And he hasn't looked back. Starting at Emeril's, Tran moved through the ranks and Lagasse's other restaurants, helping to open NOLA Restaurant in 1992 as he worked through college. Tran attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, working at NOLA on weekends. He graduated with a degree in sociology in 1997, but stayed with the restaurant, still loving the energy and excitement of the bustling French Quarter outpost.

Tran was promoted to Dining Room Manager at NOLA in 1999, before moving to Las Vegas in 2001 to work at another one of Lagasse's restaurants, Delmonico Steakhouse. Tuan became Delmonico's Assistant General Manager in 2008, and was promoted to General Manager in October 2012. Tran's mother, affectionately known as "Mama," continues to work at NOLA Restaurant, where she's the sole crafter and creator of the restaurant's famous appetizer, Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings.

Dylan Amos is the Wine Director for Emeril Lagasse's Las Vegas Restaurants where he has been curating the acclaimed wine programs since January 2011. Under meticulous guidance and constant refinement, his wine lists have earned prestigious Wine Spectator Awards, including the Grand Award, granted to less than 100 restaurants worldwide.  Originally from Kentucky, Amos has been a Sommelier since 2003.  He is passionate about wines that have a story to tell and the magic created by good friends, good food and good wine.  Dylan continues to infuse his passion and creativity for wine into our restaurants. His leadership underscores our commitment to exceptionally robust, world-class wine programs at Delmonico Steakhouse and Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House in Las Vegas.

Originally from Mexico, Chef Ivan Rojas grew up on a farm where he learned an appreciation for fresh ingredients. In 1995, Rojas moved to the United States, where he began his career in the restaurant industry as a dishwasher. He held positions as a butcher, saucier, and then Sous Chef at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica. In May of 2006, Rojas moved to Las Vegas and joined the Emeril’s family as a Butcher at Delmonico Steakhouse. In November 2007, he was promoted to Sous Chef, in March 2013, he was promoted to Executive Sous Chef, and in July 2021, he was named Chef de Cuisine.
Chef Ivan and his wife Maria have two beautiful daughters, Ivanna and D’lila. As a family, they enjoy spending time outside tending to their garden of fresh herbs and vegetables. They raise goats from which they make their own goat’s cheese and chickens to get fresh eggs. A typical meal at the Rojas house always incorporates some of their favorite home-grown ingredients for salads, chimichurris, or a breakfast of Steak and Eggs.

Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 8 restaurants, including three in New Orleans (Emeril’s, Meril, and Emeril’s Table at the MSY Airport); two in Las Vegas (Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House and Delmonico Steakhouse); one in Miramar Beach, Florida (Emeril’s Coastal); and his most recent and his first restaurants at sea, Emeril’s Bistro 1396 on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras and Emeril’s Bistro 1397 on Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration.

As a national TV personality, he has hosted more than 2,000 shows on the Food Network and was a food correspondent for ABC's "Good Morning America." Most notably, Amazon launched an original series featuring Lagasse called Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse. The series received five daytime Emmy nominations and won Outstanding Culinary Program.  The series was also a James Beard semifinalist in the category Outstanding Personality of Host. Lagasse has appeared as a guest judge in five seasons of Bravo’s hit food series, “Top Chef,” and two seasons of “Top Chef Jr”.  He was named a co-host on three seasons of the “Rachael Ray Show.” Most recently, The Roku Channel released two original series, "Emeril Tailgates" and "Emeril Cooks."  Lagasse is the bestselling author of 19 cookbooks, the latest titled Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen.

In 2002, Lagasse established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children’s educational programs that inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts, nutrition, healthy eating, and important life skills. To date, the Foundation has distributed over $18 million in grants benefitting children’s charities in New Orleans, Las Vegas and on the Gulf Coast. In 2013, Lagasse was named the Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation for his dedicated efforts to further the culinary arts in America, as well as his philanthropic work supporting children’s educational programs through his Foundation.

Lagasse's restaurant company, The Emeril Group, is located in New Orleans and houses culinary operations and a test kitchen for recipe development. For more information visit emerilsrestaurants.com.