Emeril Lagasse’s new restaurant Emeril’s Bistro 1396 aboard Mardi Gras is officially open.
The vessel debuted with the casual restaurant this past summer, but this week Chef Emeril Lagasse himself is on board to cut the ribbon and officially open the venue.
Carnival Cruise Line posted the news in a tweet on Monday:
BAM! We’re so excited Chef @Emeril officially cut the ribbon at his beautiful new Bistro 1396 restaurant, on Mardi Gras today!
Whose tried some of his delicious dishes already?#carnivalmardigras #carnivalcruises #choosefun #emerillagasse #emerilsbistro #ribboncutting pic.twitter.com/MJkfbfrg6K
— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) November 22, 2021
Also during this Thanksgiving cruise, Lagasse is a special guest at the morning show in the Grand Central atrium, will be a special guest chef for one of the sailing’s Chef’s Table experiences, and host a cooking class in the Carnival Kitchen cooking studio.
In true Emeril fashion, Emeril’s Bistro 1396 serves up some of the Creole cuisines that the chef is known for. Dishes include fried oysters, BBQ shrimp, duck & sausage gumbo, po-boys, muffuletta sandwiches, fresh ceviche, and jambalaya.
Breakfast is also offered, including menu items like a breakfast po-boy, shrimp and grits, bananas foster crepes, and a shrimp Creole omelet.
Pricing is a la carte and starts at $3 per item.
Mardi Gras is Carnival’s very first Excel-class ship, and the largest the line has ever built. It features an entirely new layout for Carnival, with its public areas divided into six “zones.” One of the zones is the French Quarter, where Emeril’s Bistro 1396 is located.
Other venues within the French Quarter include Brass Magnolia, a bar inspired by New Orleans’ Garden District and jazz culture, as well as the Fortune Teller Bar featuring Victorian design elements with a contemporary twist.
Carnival has two more mega-ships under construction, Carnival Celebration that’s due out in November 2022, and Jubilee the following year.
Mardi Gras has been in service since July 31, 2021.