OUR TEAM

Some of the important players who make the service and food what is . . .

Emeril Lagasse, Executive Chef/Proprietor

Chef Emeril Lagasse received his first culinary experience from his mother, Hilda, when he was a boy growing up in the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he worked at a Portuguese bakery where he mastered the art of bread and pastry baking. Upon high school graduation, Lagasse was offered a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music, but decided to pursue a career as a professional chef.

Read complete biography in the Emerilology Section »

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Scott Pajak, Chef de Cuisine

Growing up in Lancaster, NY, Scott Pajak could often be found in the kitchen – cooking chicken noodle soup and sauces with his grandparents, or helping his dad tend the grill and savoring the smoky aroma of barbecue.

From his very first job as a dishwasher at a local Italian restaurant, Pajak’s career has been centered on food ever since. In 1996, he moved to Las Vegas and enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, from which he received a bachelor’s of Culinary Arts Management in 2003. His most coveted experience while in culinary school was during a 6 month internship in Nanjing, China, where he mastered the art of wok cooking and had the privilege of preparing his first traditional Thanksgiving meal.

While at UNLV, he worked in numerous restaurants around Las Vegas, including Planet Hollywood, New York New York Casino and TPC Country Club, where he prepared meals for participants on the PGA Tour.

In 2002, Pajak entered the kitchen at Emeril Lagasse’s seafood eatery Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House as a line cook. Over the next 9 years, he would work in nearly every position in Lagasse’s kitchen, from saucier to butcher, eventually rising to the post of sous chef. He helped write the restaurant’s daily menus and showed off his creativity as he cooked for guests at the chef’s kitchen table.

In May 2011, Pajak was given the opportunity to lead his own team at one of Vegas’ biggest restaurants and sports venues, when he was promoted by Emeril Lagasse to chef de cuisine of Lagasse’s Stadium. At Stadium, he draws upon his love of the grill, the art of bold seasoning and his experiences in Lagasse’s fine-dining restaurant, to craft the menu of classic American favorites.

When he’s not working to feed hungry fans at Lagasse’s Stadium, Pajak enjoys watching the game and cooking some of his favorite tailgating food for his friends and family. Hailing from Buffalo, NY, it’s usually buffalo wings, beef on weck, or his kicked up chili with black beans and ham hock. But his go-to dish at the Stadium– grilled ribeye– still takes him back to his youth.

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Daniel Lydia, General Manager

Daniel Lydia has been a fixture of the resort and entertainment scene for more than 15 years. Born in Miami and raised in Jamaica and Brazil, food and entertaining have been parts of his culture and every day celebrations from an early age.

Lydia’s first experiences in hospitality started while still in high school, where he enrolled in a Miami charter high school that specialized in travel and hospitality. His early jobs as a youth were at local resorts, theaters and hotels, which proved to be a natural fit to his diverse upbringing and travels abroad.

In 1997, Lydia moved to Atlanta where he entered a management training program in food and beverage at the Marriott Marquis. Soon after, he returned to his native Miami Beach and to a post as manager at the world-famous News Cafe in South Beach. He later joined Starwood Hotels and helped open resorts and restaurants in both Florida and Arizona.

In 2004, Lydia was recruited by Harrah’s Entertainment at the Rio, where he oversaw the food and beverage operations at their dining venues for five years. It was during his time at Rio that he developed a passion for cocktails and spirits and began to explore the world of mixology and was promoted to beverage operations manager. In 2007, Lydia was presented with the opportunity to bring his talents to The Venetian and The Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino where he was hired as beverage operations manager.

In June 2010, Lydia was named general manager of Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo. He now leads the energetic team at Emeril Lagasse’s popular sports bar and restaurant, where he serves up great food and drinks, warm service, and best sports entertainment to Las Vegas biggest fans.

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