Emeril Lagasse and Viking Culinary Group Partner to Create EMERIL™ OUTDOOR GRILLS

RIDGELAND, Miss., Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With Labor Day weekend and football tailgating season on the horizon, Viking Culinary Group, a subsidiary of Viking Range Corporation, is pleased to introduce Emeril™ Outdoor Grills, designed and distributed by the Viking Culinary Group.

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Born of a longstanding friendship and commitment to innovation shared by Chef Emeril Lagasse and the founder of Viking Range Corporation, Fred Carl, Jr., Emeril™ Outdoor Grills are designed for people who understand that grilling is more than outdoor cooking – it is a passion. Emeril and the Viking Culinary Group worked side by side to rethink and re-imagine every aspect of grilling.

"I have known Fred Carl and the folks at the Viking Culinary Group for a very long time and we've always shared a commitment to quality and passion for grilling," said Emeril Lagasse. "The design of these grills was something I was involved with every step of the way. These babies offer a grilling experience like you've never had before."

The Emeril™ Charcoal Grill, constructed of porcelain-enameled heavy-gauge steel, features four sturdy legs instead of three, ensuring stability and safety. The hinged lid lifts and stays open and an integrated numerical thermometer displays approximate grill temperatures from 0 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. The hinged grate provides easy and neat access to the charcoal, allowing the user to arrange briquettes for optimum heat placement.  Other features include a more-than-ample 424 sq. inches of cooking surface, a sturdy storage shelf and a large-capacity, easily removable ash collector.

The Emeril™ Gas Grill, built from rugged stainless steel and heavy-duty cast aluminum components, is designed to withstand the elements and provide years of grilling enjoyment.  Four powerful burners provide up to 48,000 BTUs of searing heat, evenly distributed over 589 sq. inches of cooking surface, dwarfing the competition.  Seven stainless steel flavor generator plates catch drippings to create more smoke and smokier flavor, and also channel grease neatly into the removable drip tray for easier cleanup. Convenient extras like condiment and paper towel storage, accessory tool hooks, and locking rubber wheels combine to take backyard performance to the next level.

The Emeril™ Bam! B-Q, fully constructed of heavy duty stainless steel, uses indirect heat from an upper and lower charcoal ring to create a convection current that circulates within the cooking cylinder. This current causes meat to cook quickly and evenly within the cylinder.  The unit comes with three cooking grates, which create 398 sq. inches of cooking surface; a rib hanger, which accommodates 6 racks of ribs; a poultry stand, which can hold a 24 lb. turkey; and a drip pan for easier cleanup.

Emeril™ Outdoor Grills are sold through a network of premium online dealers. Visit www.emerilgrills.com for a complete list.

About Emeril Lagasse

Chef Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of twelve award-winning restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami and Bethlehem, PA.  He is a national TV personality, who has hosted over 2000 shows on the Food Network, and is the food correspondent for ABC's Good Morning America in addition to shows airing on the Cooking Channel and Planet Green. Emeril is also the best-selling author of fifteen cookbooks including his latest, Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh.  He joined the Martha Stewart family of brands in 2008; Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (NYSE: MSO) acquired the assets related to Emeril's media and merchandising business, including television programming, cookbooks, and emerils.com website and his licensed kitchen and food products. In September 2002, Emeril established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support and encourage culinary arts and education programs for children. Lagasse's restaurant company, Emeril's Homebase, is located in New Orleans and houses restaurant operations, a culinary test kitchen, and a boutique store for his signature products. 

About Viking Culinary Group

Viking Culinary Group distributes Viking Culinary Products through a network of premium gourmet retailers and oversees the licensing and operation of Viking Cooking Schools nationwide.  For more information about Viking Culinary Products or Viking Cooking Schools, visit vikingrange.com.

SOURCE Viking Culinary Group