It’s been almost exactly two months since celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse announced that his newest restaurant would call Charlotte home. And, now finally, a grand opening is scheduled for January 26. With just more than a week until you can take a seat at the restaurant located on the street level of the Levine Center for the Arts campus, new details are coming out including how you can nab one of the coveted opening night reservations.

Emeril Lagasse announced just last week he had cherry picked his head chef, Justin Sells, general manager, Jeff Wakem, and sous and pastry chef Stephanie Nikolic from his other restaurants in New Orleans, Orlando, and Las Vegas to staff e2 emeril’s eatery.

“It means so much to have Chef Justin, Jeff and Chef Stephanie joining me in Charlotte. They have worked with me for many years and share my passion for creating good food and pairing it with a fun and memorable dining experience,” Lagasse said.

According to a statement from Lagasse, he added Miki Nikolic as bar manager, and sous chef Brian Mottola, who recently worked at Charlotte’s Carpe Diem restaurant. The staff will be rounded out by 60 more people from the Charlotte area.

The e2 menu will feature an eclectic selection of appetizers, salads, seafood and steaks, as well as some of Emeril’s New Orleans and Southern-style dishes, homemade desserts and modern American classics with a twist, including:

● Emeril’s Chicken & Waffles – Fried Springer Hill Farms Chicken Thigh with “Old Mill” Buckwheat Waffle, Slaw and Sorghum Molasses
● Shrimp Pizza with Artichoke, Fontina and Herb Pesto
● Baby Spinach Salad with N.C. Wildflower Honey Vinaigrette, Radish, Chapel Hill Creamery “Pheta” Cheese and Duck Cracklins
● Herb-roasted Ashley Farms Chicken with Baby Carrots, Peanut Potatoes, Sea Island Red Peas and Rosemary Jus
● New Bedford Sea Scallops with Crab Fumet, Fennel, Leek, Honey Cap Mushrooms and Scott Farms Mini Potatoes
● “Ham-cured” Niman Ranch Pork Loin with N.C. Purple Sweet Potatoes, Collard Greens and Chocolate Mole Sauce
● Chocolate Pecan Pie with Warm Chocolate Fudge and Cocoa Nib Brittle

Hungry yet?

The restaurant will seat about 200 people, including an outdoor patio area bordering the Levine Center for the Arts Avenue, a chef’s food bar for people who want to watch their food being prepared and interact with the chefs, and a seafood and raw bar.

But as you can imagine, those seats will fill up fast well after the Grand Opening. So, restaurant officials have already opened up the reservations line. You can call 704-414-4787 to reserve your table.