Malvernite Cooks With Emeril in T.V. Series Debut

When Emeril Lagasse debuts his new daytime show, “Emeril’s Table,” on the Hallmark Channel this Monday he will be sharing the T.V. time - and on-set kitchen - with a Malverne woman and her family.

Cecilia Candreva and her brood will be cooking up one of their favorites, cheese ravioli, with the celebrity chef in the premiere episode, which airs at 11 a.m. (Eastern) on Sept. 26.

The 30-minute show will demonstrate just how easy it is to make fresh pasta at home and how fun it is to get the whole family involved.

"Some of my most fulfilling memories have been in the kitchen preparing a meal with my family and friends, and 'Emeril's Table' creates that same kind of connection," Lagasse says.

To do so, he's inviting real families like Candreva's to be a part of the action. So what was it like to meet and create a dish with Mr. "BAM!" himself?

"He was warm and welcoming and extremely relaxed and humorous," Candreva told Patch. "He carefully took us through the steps of preparing the dough and I was lucky to have been asked to help [him] prepare the filling for the ravioli."

To get on the show, Candreva explained that each one of her family members had to submit their own application expressing their reasons for wanting to meet Emeril and how cooking was important to their lives.

"Cooking has always played a major role in our family traditions and holiday festivities," Candreva said. "With each traditional dish served at a holiday meal, there are stories about our loved ones who have passed on....stories that bring laughter and...rekindle fond memories.... that keep their love alive."

Candreva was happy to share some of these memories with Emeril and his audience on the show, telling them how her grandmother would use the top of a jelly glass to shape her homemade ravioli.

Lagasse even showed them how to take traditional ravioli, to quote his famous catchprase, "up a notch," by combining goat cheese with ricotta, and adding a zest of lemon.

"The meal was amazing!" she said.

She was equally impressed with Emeril's production team.

"[They] treated us royally...and they worked together seamlessly," she said. "It was a most memorable experience."

Lagasse added, "Food brings us all a little closer together and I hope that as we’re gathering around my table each day everyone will invite us in to their kitchens and be inspired to cook along."

Emeril's Table airs Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. (Eastern) with encores airing Tuesday-Friday at 11:30 a.m.